Whether to convince voters or to establish their dictatorial domination, political leaders and aspirants to power do not hesitate to exploit a very particular vein: to expose themselves to the greatest number alongside animals of all kinds, puppies to cows passing by tigers. In a recent book on the subject, political journalist Lucas Jakubowicz examines the use of this communication strategy.
They are called Bo, Major, Maskou, Clara, Boris… names of close collaborators or directors of political cabinets? Not exactly, but they occupy positions that approach it. These dogs and cats appearing alongside – and over social networks – leaders and opponents of this world are not only responsible for bringing back babes, but also ballots or charisma. Real catalysts of messages, symbolism, and perfect weapons to lick a public image, pets have become essential to flatter voters on the sly. And this is not the prerogative of the great democracies, since horses, wildlife and zoos are highly prized by dictators from all walks of life to strike the collective imagination and water down national myths.
PHOTO STEPHANIE CARTER, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Joe Biden with Major, one of his two dogs, adopted from a shelter in 2018
Lucas Jakubowicz points to this strange fact: no one has ever created a great international bestiary to analyze this unusual strategic communication tool. He therefore took the bull by the horns in order to offer a panoramic and critical view on the use of animals by the world’s political beasts. The tour begins with the world champions of animal influence: the United States. We analyze the skillful staging of Champ and Major, the dogs adopted by the Biden, as well as that of Marlon Bundo, the family rabbit of Mike Pence, whose warm fur helped straighten out the image of a man. a bit icy. Especially since we should not count on Donald Trump, breaking the tradition of dogs living in the White House.
After this lap of honor, the author crosses the Atlantic to linger over France, where many dogs frolic on the lawns of the Élysée Palace. The choice of breeds is no coincidence, as the discreet exit from the stage of the Argentinian mastiff Macron proves, to be succeeded by Nemo, a more unifying Labrador cross – the image of the Labrador being particularly prized by public opinion, learns -we. Gérald Darmanin and Marine Le Pen, for their part, successfully bet on the “cats” box, to the point that the symbolism sometimes borders on caricature: in the midst of the process of demonization of the National Rally party (ex-National Front) and of breaking with the past , one of the presidential candidate’s felines was eaten by the doberman of his father, founder of the political movement; surly animal with which he did not hesitate to flaunt himself. You can not make that up !
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PHOTO FROM EMMANUEL MACRON’S TWITTER ACCOUNT
Nemo, the sometimes turbulent dog adopted by the Macrons during the presidential term
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PHOTO FROM MARINE LE PEN’S TWITTER ACCOUNT
While her father proudly posed in the company of sinister Dobermans, Marine Le Pen has never hidden her passion for cats. Two very contrasting styles, both in the political arena and at home.
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PHOTO GÉRARD FOUET, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jacques Chirac, champion of all categories of visits to the Agricultural Show. Other politicians have tried their hand at the exercise, and not always with success.
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Once a few examples of democracies have been dissected, a turn on the side of authoritarian governments reveals a whole different approach to animal manipulation: the strength of the national myth activated by the white steeds of Kim Jong-un, the virile and benevolent image of Vladimir Putin. nurtured by the encounter with wild beasts of Siberia, the proofs of “humanity” of the worst dictators of this world provided by their love of private zoos …
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PHOTO ARCHIVES KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY
To Western eyes, this photo of Kim Jong-un on his white horse may seem unusual. In fact, the book teaches us that it activates a powerful national mythology, centered on the legendary winged horse Chollima.
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PHOTO RIA NOVOSTI, REUTERS ARCHIVES
Vladimir Poutine plays on all fronts with animals, sometimes presenting himself as an intrepid coureur des bois …
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PHOTO RIA NOVOSTI, REUTERS ARCHIVES
… Sometimes showing himself as a good father, at the service of the fragile fauna (here, a young elk from Russia).
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One animal to rule them all is not just a gallery of cute animal portraits filled with anecdotes. We dig figures and statistics to try to determine how much this little media-political circus weighs in the electoral balance. An effect that is often vague and difficult to circumscribe, recognizes the author, who nevertheless points to his strike force in social networks – publications featuring these animals sometimes win awards for visibility, shattering all records of shares and mentions of certain candidate accounts.
The reverse side of these seemingly innocuous little communication schemes is also brilliantly boned, regardless of the political regimes involved. Even if the book suffers from a few small editing flaws and ends abruptly, it is full of original and surprising approaches to information.
A Canadian chapter?
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STEPHEN HARPER’S TWITTER ACCOUNT PHOTO ARCHIVE
Charlie the chinchilla has been shown to the public several times by the Harper family.
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PHOTO ARCHIVES THE CANADIAN PRESS
To baptize Stanley, Harper appealed to the public. The opportunity to show everyone his passion for cats – and surely to smooth his image a little.
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PHOTO FROM JUSTIN TRUDEAU’S INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
The photo that accompanied Justin Trudeau’s announcement of Kenzie’s adoption in 2016. The dog is the same breed as Barack Obama’s.
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PHOTO FROM JUSTIN TRUDEAU’S INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
Kenzie, the Portuguese water dog welcomed by the Trudeaus
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Apart from an allusion to Labradors offered by Quebec organizations to Presidents Hollande and Sarkozy, the book does not really dwell on Canada. If it is true that on the Quebec side, the last prime ministers in office did not really play this card, there is nevertheless a little grain to grind at the federal level: on Instagram, the Trudeau family distills photos in small doses. of Kenzie, a Portuguese water dog adopted in 2016 … very similar to Bo, the doggie of a certain Barack Obama. Sophie Grégoire also had the opportunity to present Coton, a guinea pig offered to one of her sons. As for the Harper couple, they were fiercely fond of felines, having paraded a dozen cats at 24 Sussex Drive, as well as a popular chinchilla named Charlie. A call to the public had in particular been launched to baptize one of the new family kittens. Suggestions from Quebec citizens, such as “Bituminou” or “Minouritaire”, had been discarded in favor of the more reasonable “Stanley”.
One animal to rule them all
Lucas jakubowicz
Arkhê
192 pages