Rosenmontag 2023: World leaders mocked at Germany's carnival

Rose Monday (Rosenmontag in German) is one of the biggest celebrations of the German carnival, and it is marked before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent for many Christians. The carnival which is very popular for political satire saw people mocking influential personalities by singing songs and displaying various floats criticising recent events. Take a look at the pictures.

A canival float shows European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's umbrella bearing the EU flag is her defence against the 'Cold East Wind' during the 'Rosenmontag' (Rose Monday) carnival parade in Mainz, Germany. Credit: Reuters Photo

A carnival float depicting the cancelled parades of 2021 and 2022 is seen at the 'Rosenmontag' (Rose Monday) carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany. Credit: Reuters Photo

A carnival float depicted Russia's President Vladimir Putin taking a blood bath in a tub in the colours of Ukraine's flag during the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany. Outrage at Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a recurring theme in the carnival parades around Germany on Rose Monday. Credit: AP Photo

Putin kissing the devil, a pose mirroring the most famous piece of the Berlin Wall, was also seen at the Rosenmontag 2023 in Germany. Credit: Reuters Photo

The face of Russian oligarch Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin was also part of Rosenmontag 2023 carnival in Germany. Credit: AFP Photo

A float depicting Chancellor Olaf Scholz is being rammed forwards by a goat with a Ukrainian flag on its tail and the name of Maria Strack-Zimmermann also took plenty of heat at the carnival. Credit: AFP Photo

A robot with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's face attending a press conference holding placards with some of his famous one-line quotes of recent times was one of the floats that turned many heads. Credit: Reuters Photo

A float shows Green Party's Robert Habeck struggling to swallow three policies he and his party would traditionally love to decry when in opposition at the Rosenmontag 2023 in Germany. Credit: AFP Photo

A float titled 'Free Iran' was also seen at the carnival. Credit: Reuters Photo