Markets · Summit Post
News Opinion The Canadian leader is now the most popular person in Europe. Mark Carney and Andy Burnham at a soccer match in Liverpool on Sept. 16, 2026. | Pool photo by Paul Cooper via WPA/Getty Images DECLASSIFIED September 18, 2026 4:00 am CET Welcome to Declassified, a weekly humor column . Now that Canada has officially joined the EU (or something), there’s so much to look forward to: informal meetings of EU ministers for sport in Saskatoon; images of Drake on the currency; a Justin (whether Trudeau or Bieber) as a future president of the European Council.
Yes, there’s been Canada fever in Europe this week. Prime Minister Mark Carney was treated like a rock star in Strasbourg when he arrived for the State of the Union speech given by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; an event that (despite our best efforts) often has all the excitement of the presentation of quarterly sales figures by the assistant regional director of a mid-sized company that makes cardboard boxes. There was even more excitement when Carney gave his own speech to the European Parliament a day later.
Alas, there were fewer EU lawmakers present for Carney than there were for von der Leyen because of that long-standing MEP tradition of pissing off home at the earliest opportunity. Between those Strasbourg meetings, Carney made a whistle-stop trip to the U.K. to watch the biggest football match of the calendar: Everton vs Wolverhampton Wanderers in the third round of the second-most important domestic cup competition (sponsored by an energy drink). Carney went to watch football with Andy Burnham in what sociologists are already calling “Centrist Dad Overload.” While on the subject, what’s the collective noun for centrist dads?
A podcast of centrist dads? A New Balance of centrist dads? A ‘have you got Oasis tickets?’ of centrist dads?
Of course, Carney and Burnham are sworn enemies of Donald Trump. The Canadian and U.S. leaders have been sparring for some time, with Trump wanting to make Canada the 51st state, and now it’s time for the British leader to get involved. The American president has already insulted Burnham, calling him the “mayor of a town.” The two heads of state will likely cross paths at the United Nations General Assembly next week.
They’ve spoken on the phone but have yet to meet in person, and it’s going to be a challenge for Burnham, whose traditional ice-breaker, “what’s your favorite album by The Smiths?” is unlikely to elicit much of a response from Trump, who only listens to “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People on a loop. Incidentally, Carney’s favorite album is “London Calling” by The Clash, the punk band who have a song called “I’m So Bored with the U.S.A.” As I write, EU bigwigs are seeing if they can use that song as the EU anthem instead of “Ode to Joy” without a treaty change. CAPTION COMPETITION “So the guy in the tux is the President of Europe?” Can you do better?
Email us at [email protected] or get in touch on X @POLITICOEurope . Last time, we gave you this photo: Thanks for all the entries. Here’s the best one from our mailbag — there’s no prize except the gift of laughter, which I think we can all agree is far preferable to cash or booze.
“Parliament’s latest scheme to liven up plenaries: even more Germans .” by Tom Morgan
Source: politico.eu
