First leading politicians arrive for Olympic Games in Paris
On Friday, approximately 100 elite politicians are invited to a reception at the Elysée-Palace before being transported there with special buses for the opening ceremony. Among them are German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as the Elysée announced.
US President Joe Biden is represented by his wife Jill. Vice President Kamala Harris sends her husband Douglas Emhoff instead. China sends Vice President Han Zheng to Paris.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is not invited. The country is officially not represented at the Olympics, Russian and Belarusian athletes compete without their national flags. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not expected according to French media reports.
European leaders who have confirmed attendance include Italian President Sergio Mattarella and his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb. Moldovan President Maia Sandu and her Georgian colleague Salomé Surabishvili, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Belgian counterpart Alexander de Croo are also coming.
European monarchs are well represented with British Princess Anne, Prince Albert of Monaco, Spanish King Felipe VI, and Danish King Frederik X and Queen Mary. The Belgian royal couple Philippe and Mathilde is also expected.
The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, has confirmed attendance. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is not yet on the guest list.
Argentine President Javier Milei and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro will be in Paris. Brazilian President Lula is represented by his wife Rosangela.
From the African continent, besides others, the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and the Senegalese head of state Diomaye Faye are traveling to Paris.
Macron wanted to receive both Israeli President Herzog and Argentine President Milei for a private talk on Friday.
The nearly four-hour opening ceremony on Friday evening is expected to be a spectacle of superlatives along the Seine. It is calculated that Canadian singer Céline Dion, who has not given concerts for several years due to illness, will perform. Dion met with French President Emmanuel Macron's wife Brigitte Macron at her Paris hotel on Wednesday, as images in online services show.
Singer Aya Nakamura will reportedly sing songs by Charles Aznavour according to the newspaper "Le Parisien". Lady Gaga is also expected to perform. During the ceremony, approximately 326,000 spectators in Paris and over a billion viewers worldwide are expected.
The performers will include approximately 3000 actors and dancers, designed by director Thomas Jolly. About 85 boats with several thousand athletes will sail down the Seine.
- At the reception, French President Emmanuel Macron will welcome German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
- US President Joe Biden is unable to attend personally but sends his wife Jill as his representative.
- Vice President Kamala Harris does not attend either; instead, her husband Douglas Emhoff represents her at the Olympic Games.
- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng is the country's representative in Paris, attending on behalf of China.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin is not invited to the reception or the Olympic Games due to the country's absence from the event.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not expected to attend, as reported by French media sources.
- Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Finnish President Alexander Stubb have confirmed their attendance at the Olympic Games.
- Moldovan President Maia Sandu and her Georgian counterpart Salomé Surabishvili, along with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Belgian counterpart Alexander de Croo, will also be present.
- European monarchs are well-represented, with British Princess Anne, Prince Albert of Monaco, Spanish King Felipe VI, Danish King Frederik X, and Queen Mary, and the Belgian royal couple Philippe and Mathilde, all attending the Olympic Games.
- Argentine President Javier Milei and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro will be in Paris, with Brazilian President Lula's wife Rosangela representing him.
- From the African continent, besides others, the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and the Senegalese head of state Diomaye Faye, will join European leaders in Paris for the Olympic Games.
