And now in breaking political news, France has appointed its First Dog

One day, there's going to actually be a mission to find Nemo

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first dog
(Image credit: Jacques Witt/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock)

One day, there's going to actually be a mission to find Nemo

There’s a handsome new boy in French politics and he’s already working hard. President Emmanuel Macron has just appointed Nemo Macron, a rescue dog, as the First Dog of France.

While there was no pomp or ceremony, Nemo made his first appearance yesterday on the steps of Elysee Palace to greet President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger. The smart black labrador-griffon crossbreed made a statement with his bright red collar, padding alongside his new owner to say hello.

first dog

Jacques Witt/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: Jacques Witt/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock)

Nemo is aged between one and two years old and was adopted over the weekend from a rescue centre, where the President and First Lady Brigitte Macron reportedly paid £231 for their new family member. According to a statement by Elysee Palace, it turns out that Nemo’s been named after the seafaring protagonist of one of Emmanuel Macron’s favourite books Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. Jules Verne, the author of the book, also hails from Macron’s hometown Amiens.

The current French president isn’t the first to have a canine companion, as it’s been a long-standing tradition for French leaders to have a dog. However, Macron is reinventing the rules slightly since Nemo is technically a cross-breed. His predecessor, Francois Holland’s dog Philae, didn’t rock the boat as she was a labrador - as many of First Dogs have been dating back to the 70s. One other notable exception to the rule was Charles de Gaulle’s choice of a corgi, who was a gift from the British royal family.

first dog

Pierre Tricolet/REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: Pierre Tricolet/REX/Shutterstock)

Since everything apparently has to have a hidden meaning in politics, many have been reading into Nemo’s adoption. For example, Nemo was reportedly abandoned in Tulle which was ex-President Francois Hollande’s stronghold and the irony certainly hasn’t been lost on anybody. Another journalist from Le Point also referenced Macron’s choice of a mixed breed dog and said that it reflected his ‘neither Left nor Right’ stance.

In any case, we’re keen to see more of this very good boy soon. Given that all the political news nowadays seems to be super disheartening, Nemo’s adoption is a welcome breath of fresh air (finally).

Megan C. Hills
Megan C. Hills

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.