Political Satire at German Carnival 2011

Cologne is one of those cities that holds two carnivals each year. The one, which is currently underway, starts in February-March and the other is held in November.

The highlights of the carnival on the western German city of Cologne include marching bands and dancers that parade down the streets throwing confetti, sweets, flowers, and toys. And of course, the floats. The elaborate floats often show caricatured figures mocking politicians and other personalities. Below are some images from this year's Carnival.

Caricatures depicting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Abdullah stripped naked by Wikileaks' scandal

Italian prime minister’s curious relationship with the mafia

A carnival float ridiculing Nokia’s mass layoffs in their companies.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo from China in the form of a yellow Statue of Liberty at the carnival in Cologne. 

Barack Obama, trying to push a camel through the eye of a needle. The figure represents US’s futile attempt to establish peace in the Middle East.

A carnival float shows Arab nations as a house of falling cards, with former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak and Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi

A carnival float representing German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle as a saw is pictured during the traditional Rose Monday carnival parade. The words read: 'Pain in the neck Westerwelle.'

A carnival float, depicting Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi with a barrel of oil, is kissed by a man symbolizing Europe with a sack of money.

A carnival float depicting former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg in a plane crashing into Angela Merkel's Chancellery

Figures of women in veil, gradually turning into a bag.

A carnival float making fun of FIFA’s decision to hold the World Championships in Russia and Qatar. Football Federation FIFA caricature depicted as a busty prostitute holding bills of hundred euros.