Dancing politicians are particularly embarrassing, as befits their status: it almost always shows that older people like them are simply trying to “grab the votes of younger voters” with “racy” dance performances. Just think of the Merkel CDU team, which tried to rock out in a relaxed manner to the sounds of “Days like this” after their 2017 federal election victory (which Campino didn’t like at all). Not everyone can be a politician like the American Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who in her youth danced to Phoenix and its hit “Lisztomania” with such levity that hardly anyone else can.
The possibly upcoming CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor Markus “Shrek” Söder now joins the really unpleasant species of man who believes he can have a really funny time.
The Bavarian head of state is currently in Sweden to meet, among other things, Queen Silvia. Before that, he visited the ABBA Museum in Stockholm. The 57-year-old said to “Bild”: “I’m a big fan. ABBA is one of the few groups with whom you can spend an entire evening.” Previously, as reported, he created a playlist with the quartet’s evergreens: “That’s the sound. Like the Beatles, unmistakable.”
There is also a stage in the Abba Museum where you can party to songs by Björn, Benny, Agnetha and Frida. They wanted to see that from Bayern too. As “Bild” reports, Söder had to be persuaded by the journalists who had traveled with him to dance to “Dancing Queen”. Then he rushed onto the digitally enhanced stage and the horror began.
He starts playing to the holograms of the musicians and is visibly uncomfortable. “When I was very young, I thought Agnetha was great,” he says anyway, apparently prefacing it with an “Oh Yeah.” Söder’s performance is said to have lasted one minute and 27 seconds. Afterwards he said: “I have never seen ABBA live.” Nothing will change that, because the four musicians no longer appear live (only their avatars with a band). The unpleasant effect when watching is also caused by the fact that Söder is not singing karaoke, but is moving his lips to the playback, which draws the eye even more to his body movements.
“Bavarian Music proudly presents: #ABBA feat. Markus 😀 Dancing Queen is my absolute favorite ABBA song…” writes Söder’s X-Team, attaching Bavarian copyright to Swedish music.