The media cannot get enough of Justin Trudeau and we are not complaining. Latest in the series of viral things the pretty Canadian Prime Minister has provided to the internet community is an image of him doing a handstand.
Yes, that happened.
Just when you thought politicians were all about waging wars and overthrowing governments, Justin Trudeau came along to give politics it’s much-needed share of quirkiness and effervescence. And lo and behold, for he is not the only one at it.
Here’s a list of world leaders breaking the monotony of the otherwise drab realm of politics.
The Australian Prime Minister Who Holds a World Record in Beer Drinking
Bob Hawke, the Australian Prime Minister from 1983 to 1991, holds a world record for consuming a yard of ale (a very big beer glass that holds close to 1.4 litres of beer) in eleven seconds!
Hawke later went on record to comment that this achievement helped him become popular in a country which is already a big fan of the beverage.
The DJ Who Became Africa's Youngest President
Andry Rajoelina, the President of Madagascar from 2009 to 2014, became the youngest African president as he came into office at the age of thirty-four years.
However, along with his age, his musical inclinations too became talk of the town. Rajoelina was a disk jockey in his teen years, providing music at clubs and parties. This eventually led to him organising musical events in Madagascar.
The Dutch Prime Minister Who Rides a Bicycle to Work
The Prime Minister of Netherland since 2010, Mark Rutte, visits and leaves his office on a bicycle. No, we did not make a typo. He insists on following the practice even when he is on a state visit.
In 2013, the Prime Minister visited Israel and used a bicycle as his mode of transport. Ditching little resource annihilators for a more environment-friendly choice, Rutte is hardly ever seen as part of convoys or automobile parades, otherwise synonymous with world leaders.
The German Chancellor Who Saw Scarcity a Little Too Closely
The Chancellor of Germany since 2005, Angela Merkel, has a tendency to hoard food. This may be because she spent thirty-five years in the Soviet East Germany, infamously afflicted with scarcity and shortages.
Now the Chancellor has internalised a tendency to always treat food as a scarce commodity.
I still buy something as soon as I see it, even when I don’t really need it. It’s a deep-seated habit stemming from the fact that in an economy where things were scarce you just used to get what you could when you could.Angela Merkel
The American President Who Entered the 'Hall of Fame' For Wrestling
Abraham Lincoln, other than championing the cause of African slaves, also managed to do admirable things on the side. It is claimed that Lincoln could bust quite some moves in a wrestling ring. Out of a total of about 300 matches, Lincoln is known to have lost only one.
His wrestling prowess was later acknowledged by the Wrestling Hall of Fame which he entered with the prestigious title of “Outstanding American”.
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