Football, Tobacco, Qigong, and Other Hobbies of Politicians

Henry Ford once said, "The best job is a highly paid hobby." Unfortunately, not everyone manages to secure such a position. Modern politicians are no exception. No matter how much they may pretend to enjoy giving speeches, signing important documents, and making international visits, as soon as they get a free moment, each one hurries to engage in something genuinely interesting for their own pleasure.

The choice of a particular hobby can reveal a lot about those we are used to seeing in strict business suits—after all, when a person engages in what they love, they become their true self.

Emmanuel Macron

The President of France is not one to just lounge on the couch after work. If meetings, encounters, and speeches have indeed tired him by the evening, he might at least read a few pages of his favourite novel, "Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert, before bed. But most likely, Macron will spend all his free time on active leisure. The French leader is quite adept at boxing, skilful at skiing, and happily plays football. His main passion, however, is tennis. Sometimes he even manages to fit in a quick match right after lunch. This might be the secret to why, at 46, Macron always looks so energetic and fit.

Giorgia Meloni

Elves, mages, dwarves, goblins, hobbits, unicorns, and who knows what else—the Italian Prime Minister believes that the world of fantasy creatures is the perfect place to unwind after political battles at work. Moreover, for the sake of new emotions, Meloni is ready not only to reread her favourite trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings," but also to attend gatherings of others just as obsessed with the fictional universe of J.R.R. Tolkien as she is. Or even try to bring a bit of fantasy from book pages into real life. For instance, she once named her political conference Atreju (after the boy from the tribe of hunters who, in the novel "The NeverEnding Story," searches for a cure to save the bright Fantasyland and escapes from the wolf sent after him by the sinister Nothing).

Xi Jinping

As for the President of China, his literary preferences are different—Xi Jinping has often confessed his admiration for Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Interestingly, both authors attract him for what he described as their "clear view on values, clear distinction between good and evil." It's just unclear why the well-read Chinese leader has not yet realised that the Putin regime, which he fervently supports, is pure crystallised evil, and among all current values in the Kremlin, the highest is placed on the nerve agent "Novichok," which is conveniently used to kill political opponents. In short, Xi Jinping's other hobbies, such as football, mountaineering, swimming, Buddhist martial arts, and qigong breathing exercises, appear much more appealing than his ardent fascination with Russian classics at a time when Russians have turned into fascists and have unleashed the largest war in Europe since World War II.

Volodymyr Zelensky

The President of Ukraine is a long-time fan of running and continues with it despite accompanying back pains. A refreshed mind and a surge of energy are what drive Volodymyr Zelensky to put on his trainers and go for a run. Before the war, he regularly ran for at least 30 minutes every day—but now, as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, he certainly has no time for hobbies and entertainment. He has had to postpone his long-held dream of mastering diving until after Ukraine's victory. Additionally, in his pre-war life, Zelensky was an avid movie buff, a fan of American classics such as Barry Levinson's "Rain Man," Francis Coppola's "The Godfather," and Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America."

Rishi Sunak

The first ethnic Indian to hold the office of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has several hobbies seemingly divided into three categories. One pays homage to aristocracy, another is quintessentially British, and the last is related to his Hindu faith (it's notable that he took his parliamentary oath on the Bhagavad Gita). As befitting a true aristocrat, Rishi Sunak is passionate about cricket, horse racing, and owns a stable in London with his wife. As a Briton, Sunak is a football enthusiast and supports Southampton FC. As a Hindu, he takes great care of his health—both spiritual and physical. For instance, Sunak is very active in sports and is a committed teetotaller, consciously abstaining from alcohol in any form.

Joe Biden

How would Joe Biden spend a day if he could fully dedicate it to his hobbies? He would probably roll out one of the cool vintage cars from his collection, such as the 1967 Corvette Stingray that he inherited from his father. Then, he would grab some ice cream on the way (it’s well-known that Biden has a particular fondness for chocolate chip) and head to an American football game. In his youth, he also enjoyed riding motorcycles and skiing—though advanced age has tempered the intensity of his physical activities. However, Biden is not one to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Even in his 80s, he managed to become a sports style icon when he landed on the White House lawn from a helicopter in a business suit and trendy "Hoka Transport" sneakers. Now, everyone wants a pair.

Viktor Orbán

No, the Hungarian Prime Minister does not spend his free time sitting under a bridge, as other fairy-tale trolls might. In fact, Viktor Orbán appears antisocial and cantankerous only in European politics when he needs to spite Ukraine or show his boundless respect for the bloodthirsty dictator Putin. But as soon as his working hours are over, Orbán cheerfully runs to kick a ball on the football pitch. At one time, he even combined his political career with playing for the third-division club "Felcsút," which required Hungarian government meetings to be rescheduled from Tuesday to Friday because Orbán had training sessions on Tuesdays.

Olaf Scholz

When Olaf Scholz appeared in public with a bandage over his right eye in September 2023, everyone thought the German Chancellor had taken up cosplay and decided to emulate Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean." In reality, he had simply sustained an injury during a run. Besides jogging, which Scholz has been doing since 2001, he also enjoys rock climbing and cycling. However, Scholz's signature hobby is traveling the world in search of his lookalikes. After a visit to the United States, it turned out that Senator Chris Coons is a dead ringer for the German politician. Interestingly, they not only look alike but also share similar views, particularly in supporting military aid to Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin

Some politicians engage in sports, some read interesting books, some travel a lot—and some spend their free time dismembering live animals to drink their still-warm blood. The disgusting hobby of war criminal and kidnapper of Ukrainian children, Vladimir Putin, was recently revealed by former Italian senator Fabrizio Cicchitto. According to him, in 2013, Putin invited the now-deceased Silvio Berlusconi to his dacha, where he first shot two roe deer in the forest in front of his guest (what did they ever do to him?) and then personally quartered one of them and cut out its heart. When Berlusconi, amid this bloody spectacle, realized that this was the royal "delicacy" from the hospitable Putin—he ran to vomit behind a tree. As the saying goes: tell me your hobby, and I'll tell you who you are…

Donald Tusk

The Polish Prime Minister has been a supporter of the football team "Lechia" since childhood, and in the 1970s, he was even vice-president of its fan club. Donald Tusk also loves studying foreign languages (currently fluent in four: Polish, Kashubian, German, and English) and actively publishes local history books ("Once Upon a Time in Gdańsk," "Gdańsk-1945," "Old Sopot"). In Poland, his storytelling talent is highly valued—Tusk's memoirs "Szczerze" about his five years in European politics became a national bestseller. Among Tusk's particularly interesting quirks is his love of tobacco. In 2003, he even took second place in a snuff competition.