The POLITICO‘s 2023 Backhanded Awards include critical and humorous comments about each awardee. For Ursula von der Leyen, her frequent travels during crises were highlighted. Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine were ironically noted for promoting ‘peace’. Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s wiretapping scandal was likened to Orwellian surveillance. Greta Thunberg’s blunt climate activism was recognized with a play on her famous speech. Lastly, Giorgia Meloni’s award poked fun at her political style. Each award comes with a unique commentary, reflecting POLITICO’s satirical take on their 2023 actions or statements.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, was also included in POLITICO’s 2023 Backhanded Awards, receiving the satirical “Borat Award for Diplomacy.” This award humorously critiques his occasional diplomatic missteps and comments, which have been seen as blunders since he took office in late 2019.
