French president Sarkozy 'not pleased' by Amsterdam Queens Day campaign

A poster campaign, designed to promote the Queens Day party in Amsterdam, has upset the French.

The campaign uses pictures of several world leaders to promote the Queens Day party, held every year in the Netherlands on April 30.

The poster in question (see picture below) portrays Sarkozy in an orange outfit, together with the Italian prime minister Berlusconi.

The French embassy has demanded that the campaign be stopped, as it would damage the dignity of the French president.

'I AMsterdam', responsible for the campaign, has however said it sees no reason to stop the campaign.

On other posters in the campaign Hillary Clinton is used (in a slightly erotic outfit), and there is also one with president Barack Obama and the Russian president Putin, wearing t-shirts with the text 'Kiss me, I am drunk'.

Queensday is celebrated throughout the Netherlands, every year on April 30. Although the date is really the birth date of Queen Juliana, her daughter Beatrix decided at her succession to the throne that Queensday will remain on this date, in honour of her mother.
The fact that Queen Beatrix's birthday is January 31, which is in the middle of winter, undoubtedly has something to do with the decision.

As the Dutch royals are from the House of Orange, the colour orange is the dress (and make-up and paint) code for the party.

For Amsterdam, Queensday is the biggest party of the year. It starts with a massive 'garage sale', and is followed by a big party throughout the city centre, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the Netherlands, and the rest of the world.