A mayoral race in the French town of Arcis-sur-Aube has drawn international attention due to the names of the candidates: Charles Hittler and Antoine Renault-Zielinski.
Mayoral Race Gains Attention Online
Charles Hittler, the current mayor of Arcis-sur-Aube, located 160km southeast of Paris, has long been accustomed to jokes regarding his surname’s similarity to Adolf Hitler. However, the presence of opponent Antoine Renault-Zielinski – whose name bears a resemblance to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – has amplified the attention, particularly on social media.
“But now it’s out of control. I’ve seen online articles saying ‘37% of the people of Arcis are Hitlerites!’ My wife is in tears,” Hittler told the BBC. “If people were talking about the town and our policies, that would be one thing. But all they’re interested in is our names.”
Renault-Zielinski noted the trending topic on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. “I thought it was just a silly joke but, gradually, I realised that everyone is talking about us,” he said to French broadcaster BFMTV.
While acknowledging the humor, Renault-Zielinski remained neutral about the sudden fame. “It doesn’t make me laugh, but it doesn’t bother me either,” he stated. “It would be better if people were talking about Arcis for other reasons, but at least we’re on the map.”
Hittler is currently leading in the polls for re-election as mayor.
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