MAINZ, Germany (AP) — A victorious British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with a grim looking Queen Elizabeth II standing behind him, a bare-chested Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a remote control to steer Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan atop a tank, and a triumphant U.S. President Donald Trump playing the harp like Roman Emperor Nero.
All of these controversial leaders have come together at for a provocative tryst at the traditional Mainz carnival celebrations in western Germany.
The Mainzer Carnival Association presented the colorful, oversized figures for a first glimpse Tuesday before they will entertain the crowds on top of floats next week on Shrove Monday during the traditional street parade in the western city.
Mainz, Cologne and Duesseldorf , the three big cities along the Rhine River, are all famous for their politically provocative floats. During Carnival, dubbed the “fifth season of the year” before the start of Christian season of Lent, the common people are traditionally allowed to make fun of those in power.
The famous street parades, which will travel for kilometers (miles) through the cities, will include not only the floats, but also dozens of brass bands, dancing groups and “Carnivalists” throwing tons of candy to revelers in the streets.
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