French president Emmanuel Macron today released his official photo, which features the newly elected head of state standing in front of his desk. The photo is perfectly centered, with Macron framed by French and EU flags in front of an open window, but it’s the items on his desk that are most interesting: three books, a clock, and what appear to be two smartphones.
Portrait officiel. pic.twitter.com/fAhSZJvPa5
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 29, 2017
Including the smartphones is a deliberate and telling decision for Macron, who has positioned himself as a pro-business politician who wants to bolster France’s startup economy. It may also be the first time that smartphones have ever been featured in an official portrait for a head of state; it’s at least a first for a French president, according to the news station LCI.
A video tweeted by Sibeth Ndiaye, an Élysée spokeswoman, shows the president carefully arranging the two phones on his desk. An iPhone text message sound can be heard in the background of the video, and the top device includes what appears to be the iPhone home button and fingerprint reader. (Today also marks the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone going on sale.)
#AvecLePrésident pour son portrait officiel. @soazigdlm pic.twitter.com/TSFXhEWLEy
— Sibeth Ndiaye (@SibNdiaye) June 29, 2017
More than 50,000 copies of the new photo will be placed in city halls, police stations, and embassies around France, according to French media outlet BFM TV.
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