Cologne’s Rose Monday Carnival, scheduled for February 16, will again send dozens of satirical floats down the street — 120 in all — lampooning public figures and political debates. Parade director Marc Michelske unveiled several of the sketches in advance, as Cologne traditionally does, explaining the ideas behind them.
One of the most eye-catching designs shows Donald Trump peering into a mirror while baring his backside, which is covered in lipstick kiss marks. The kisses are labeled with names of institutions and leaders such as the European Union, FIFA, the United Nations, Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron. Michelske said the float responds to the question of why so many people defer to Trump — pointing to Trump’s own comment, “they’re kissing my ass” — and that the piece aims to reflect his low blows on political issues.
Cologne makes its float sketches public before Rose Monday, unlike nearby Düsseldorf where designs are kept secret until the parade. Float builder Jacques Tilly noted the difference, quipping that revealing sketches ahead of time means whatever provocative ideas organizers devise will definitely be seen on the street. Michelske defended the practice, saying advance presentations let the public see and understand the satire rather than being surprised.
Another float targets the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD): a large, light-blue cobra modeled on Kaa from The Jungle Book coils around a young person. The color and image are intended as a warning about AfD influence, Michelske said, likening the party’s pull to Kaa’s hypnotic hold on Mowgli and urging engagement with people susceptible to that appeal rather than only condemning them.
Other motifs address current German and international debates: a boy scrolling on a smartphone wears an oversized military helmet, a nod to discussions about reinstating compulsory service; a blood-splattered guillotine titled “US tariffs” bears a blade painted like the American flag; and a weary rabbit labeled “EU” carries heavy weights while figures representing the United States (an eagle), Russia (a bear) and China (a panda) look on, accompanied by text asserting the EU will manage without the big powers.
There will be no Putin float in Cologne this year — not for fear, organizers say, but out of solidarity with Düsseldorf builder Jacques Tilly, who faces a lawsuit from Russia over a satirical Putin depiction. Michelske and other regional carnival groups have pledged support, saying they won’t let legal pressure silence their humor.
The parade’s motto is “Mer dun et för Kölle” (“We’re doing it for Cologne”), a tribute to the city’s volunteers. Leading the procession will be some 250 volunteer singers from more than 30 Cologne choirs and a 50-piece volunteer orchestra, adding musical force to the event’s satirical commentary.
This report is based on translated material from German sources.