The face is distorted with strain, the right hook on the punching bag: French President Emmanuel Macron has put himself in a combative mood with boxing pictures. The scene was published by the head of state’s official photographer, Soazig de la Moissonnière, on Instagram.
It has long been known that the French president is a boxing enthusiast. He recently appeared in a jersey and with boxing gloves over his shoulder to encourage his compatriots to exercise regularly. A few months ago, his wife Brigitte also revealed to the magazine “Paris Match” that the centrist politician does boxing training twice a week.
Politicians use sport to promote themselves. Sometimes that goes wrong
The combative photos suit Macron, who likes to see himself as a determined and dynamic leader. But communication strategists see more in the images. “The message is directed at Putin,” says expert Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet in the newspaper Le Parisien. Macron shows that he is ready to fight.
Sports images of presidents are usually not so aggressive. But these photos were taken on purpose to show that you were in a battle. According to Moreau-Chevrolet, with the boxing pictures, Macron is literally recreating photos of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has already been photographed in a number of sports. They are virtually opposite each other and that shows a very special climate.
It’s not just Putin and Macron who like to exercise. Other top politicians also go jogging or throw balls – sometimes more or less well staged. Our photo series.