Get you up to speed: French town mayoral race draws attention as candidates Hittler and Zielinski face off
Charles Hittler is seeking re-election as mayor of Arcis-Sur-Aube, facing Antoine Renault-Zielinski, who is the far-right candidate from the Patriot party. Hittler expressed frustration over the focus on their names rather than the policies affecting the town.
Charles Hittler, the current mayor of Arcis-Sur-Aube, expressed his frustration with the media attention surrounding his name, stating, “If people were talking about the town and our policies, that would be one thing.” Antoine Renault-Zielinski, his opponent and a far-right candidate, acknowledged the amusing nature of the situation but indicated it does not bother him, saying, “I can see why people find it amusing.”
In Arcis-Sur-Aube, Charles Hittler is seeking re-election as mayor while Antoine Renault-Zielinski stands as the far-right candidate for the Patriot party. Hittler expressed frustration that public interest is focused on their names rather than local policies.
Hittler takes on Zielinski in French town’s local election | News World
Hittler (left) and Zielinski (right) are running against each other for mayor (Pictures: BBC)
Small town French elections don’t tend to make global headlines, but when a man called Hittler is not even the far right candidate, things are going to get messy.
In Arcis-Sur-Aube – population 2,785 – Charles Hittler is seeking re-election as mayor, but interest isn’t in his policies, it is because his opponent is Antoine Renault-Zielenski.
And in a twist of irony, it is Monsieur Zielinski who is the far right candidate, standing for the Patriot party.
Hittler is a little annoyed by the attention. He said: ‘If people were talking about the town and our policies, that would be one thing. But all they’re interested in is our names.’
Zielinksi, on the other hand, says he’s often asked if he’s related to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but that is not the case.
He said: ‘I can see why people find it amusing. Personally it doesn’t make me laugh, but it doesn’t bother me either.
‘It would be better if people were talking about Arcis for other reasons, but at least we’re on the map.’
Hittler said that his father considered changing his name after World War Two, but in the end the bureaucracy was too much and it would have been expensive.
Antoine Renault-Zielinski, 28, said he’s often asked if he’s related to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Picture: BBC)
Current Mayor Hittler said the recent dialogue is ‘out of control’ (Picture: Hittler)
It doesn’t appear as though having the name Hittler has too much of a negative impact on politicians, despite the historic associations.
Last autumn, Adolf Hitler won a seat in his constituency in northern Namibia in a landslide election.
Hitler is a very popular politician in his small town with 5,000 residents, working on anti-apartheid efforts.
He previously said he wasn’t aware of his name’s origins, adding: ‘It does not mean I have Adolf Hitler’s character or resemble that of Adolf Hitler of Germany.’
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After his win, he said he wants to be referred to by his other surname, Uunona.
‘My name is not Adolf Hitler. I am Adolf Uunona. In the past, I have been called Adolf Hitler, and they have tried to associate me with someone I don’t even know,’ he told BILD.
‘My wife calls me Adolf.’
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