Every year, German politicians and celebrities show their most colorful side for the fifth season. Depending on the region, carnival, carnival or carnival is celebrated. Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder has been at the front for years, usually accompanied by his wife Karin Baumüller-Söder in a partner look.
This Friday too, the audience at the “Fastnacht in Franconia” can expect an elaborate costume. The cult program from Bayerischer Rundfunk is broadcast live from the Mainfrankensälen in Veitshöchheim near Würzburg. For a good three and a half hours, mostly well-known faces from the Franconian carnival give their best, there is dancing, swaying and gossiping. The audience of millions on their sofas at home can expect swipes at Bavarian politics, as will the around 600 guests in the magnificently decorated hall.
Carnival fan Markus Söder is not too good about any costume
You have to give Söder one thing: he brings creativity and perseverance to the elaborate costumes almost every year. The ideas for this came from himself, said his long-time costume designer Armin Häfner in “Zeit Magazin”. Söder only did without the colorful disguise in 2019 and 2020 – these were his first years as Prime Minister.
Previously, he had either dressed up as Homer Simpson, given air kisses as actress Marilyn Monroe or celebrated as a Kiss singer with an electric guitar. The costumes always have a connection to Bavaria. In 2023, Söder appeared as Bavaria’s “elder” as if he wanted to offer society guidance after the corona pandemic. The disguise was a cause for ridicule on social networks. “Just as Moses split the Red Sea, Söder has been dividing the Union for years,” wrote one user, for example.
Another costume also subsequently caused criticism. In 2015, Söder appeared as the Indian Nobel Peace Prize winner Mahatma Ghandi at Carnival – including a painted face. He was subsequently accused of blackfacing, a racist practice that denigrates people with non-German skin color.
This Friday, the Prime Minister was already promoting the matter on his Instagram account in the afternoon. What Söder is coming up with this year should be made public by the start of the carnival broadcast at 7 p.m. at the latest.
Sources: House of Bavarian History, Doctor’s newspaper“Time Magazine”, “T Online”with information from the DPA news agency