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Is François Hollande the ‘penguin’ in Carla Bruni's new song?

Lyrics of new song by France’s former first lady, about a “penguin” who “takes on the airs of a king,” are widely seen as a swipe at French President.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

Carla Bruni has reportedly taken a swipe at French President Francois Hollande, depicting him as a bumbling buffoon with no manners in a song that features on the former first lady's new album, reports France 24.

The lyrics of "The Penguin" were released Friday and immediately interpreted as an attack on the man who succeeded her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy, as France's leader.

The former supermodel sings: "He takes on the airs of a king/but I know, the penguin/doesn't have the manners of a lord.

"Hey penguin!/If one day you cross my path again/I will teach you, penguin/I will teach you to kiss my hand."

French media saw the lyrics as a reference to Hollande's frosty treatment of his outgoing predecessor on the day when he took over as president, notably declining to accompany Sarkozy to the car that carried him away from the presidential Elysee palace.

In French, describing someone as a penguin implies they are both clumsy and a little ridiculous in the manner of a clown or a buffoon.

Read more of this report from France 24.