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| Brexit: What's behind Donald Tusk's Instagram diplomacy? | Brexit: What's behind Donald Tusk's Instagram diplomacy? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Donald Tusk rejected Theresa May's Brexit proposals at an EU summit this week and posted on his Instagram story shortly afterwards. | Donald Tusk rejected Theresa May's Brexit proposals at an EU summit this week and posted on his Instagram story shortly afterwards. |
| "A piece of cake, perhaps?," said the head of the European Council, alongside a picture of him and May at the summit in Austria. "Sorry, no cherries." | "A piece of cake, perhaps?," said the head of the European Council, alongside a picture of him and May at the summit in Austria. "Sorry, no cherries." |
| This provocative post was Tusk's idea and is part of a wider strategy to appeal to young people via the app, an EU source has told the BBC. | This provocative post was Tusk's idea and is part of a wider strategy to appeal to young people via the app, an EU source has told the BBC. |
| Here are five things to know about how Donald Tusk and other EU leaders use Instagram. | Here are five things to know about how Donald Tusk and other EU leaders use Instagram. |
| Tusk does it himself | Tusk does it himself |
| "He's the one coming up with these posts - he has a good sense of what works and what doesn't," says an EU source working with Tusk on social media. | "He's the one coming up with these posts - he has a good sense of what works and what doesn't," says an EU source working with Tusk on social media. |
| "He's not the biggest social media geek but he likes it. | "He's not the biggest social media geek but he likes it. |
| "He jokes and laughs and wants to show humour. This post was clearly something he was into - we produced the image [of cherries] and he said let's do it!" | "He jokes and laughs and wants to show humour. This post was clearly something he was into - we produced the image [of cherries] and he said let's do it!" |
| The post combines the EU's favourite Brexit cliches. First, the idea that the UK wants to "have its cake and eat it". | The post combines the EU's favourite Brexit cliches. First, the idea that the UK wants to "have its cake and eat it". |
| Second, that the UK is guilty of "cherry-picking" - keeping the bits of EU membership it likes and ditching the bits it doesn't. | Second, that the UK is guilty of "cherry-picking" - keeping the bits of EU membership it likes and ditching the bits it doesn't. |
| "The cherry-picking one is something we have talked about a lot and finally we had a good pic from a good angle," says an EU source | "The cherry-picking one is something we have talked about a lot and finally we had a good pic from a good angle," says an EU source |
| Many Brexit supporters reacted angrily to Tusk's post on social media. | Many Brexit supporters reacted angrily to Tusk's post on social media. |
| Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke described the post as "extraordinarily disrespectful". | |
| Pro-Europeans had mixed views, with one describing it as "brilliant trolling" by Mr Tusk, while another said it was "grim and not on, frankly". | |
| A source close to Tusk said the message should not be taken too seriously. "It was an innocent gesture. He is always expressing how sad he is about the U.K. leaving. | A source close to Tusk said the message should not be taken too seriously. "It was an innocent gesture. He is always expressing how sad he is about the U.K. leaving. |
| "We were taking the difficulty of the situation and giving it a soft touch." | "We were taking the difficulty of the situation and giving it a soft touch." |
| Tusk wants to reach younger people | Tusk wants to reach younger people |
| Tusk's team did an in-house analysis of various social media platforms and ultimately decided to focus on Instagram, the BBC understands. | Tusk's team did an in-house analysis of various social media platforms and ultimately decided to focus on Instagram, the BBC understands. |
| They found that while Twitter is useful for communicating with journalists, not so many other people people use it regularly. | They found that while Twitter is useful for communicating with journalists, not so many other people people use it regularly. |
| However, Tusk did post this bombastic video on his Twitter account, showing his Autumn priorities in the style of an action film trailer. | However, Tusk did post this bombastic video on his Twitter account, showing his Autumn priorities in the style of an action film trailer. |
| Instagram, on the other hand, is very popular with a range of groups, especially younger people. | Instagram, on the other hand, is very popular with a range of groups, especially younger people. |
| "We have political messages but we also want to move away from the cold politician image," an EU source told the BBC. | "We have political messages but we also want to move away from the cold politician image," an EU source told the BBC. |
| "For example we launched on his birthday with a picture with his grandchildren, and this kind of personal touch has proven really successful." | "For example we launched on his birthday with a picture with his grandchildren, and this kind of personal touch has proven really successful." |
| It's about having fun too | It's about having fun too |
| As well as transmitting the EU's core messages, Instagram can also be a place where politicians can joke and show a sense of humour. | As well as transmitting the EU's core messages, Instagram can also be a place where politicians can joke and show a sense of humour. |
| "It's more positive, everyone is cheering each other," said an EU source. "We are reaching different audiences and the discussion isn't so violent." | "It's more positive, everyone is cheering each other," said an EU source. "We are reaching different audiences and the discussion isn't so violent." |
| Tusk's Instagram account combines serious messages with light-hearted pictures - sometimes in the same post, including one notable example from the Salzburg summit. | Tusk's Instagram account combines serious messages with light-hearted pictures - sometimes in the same post, including one notable example from the Salzburg summit. |
| "We aren't focusing just on the political angle and we showed that with the ice cream - it's fun but also has a message," said an EU source. | "We aren't focusing just on the political angle and we showed that with the ice cream - it's fun but also has a message," said an EU source. |
| "Eating an ice cream is sweet but the expression is sour, talks are tough but it's important to be managed." | "Eating an ice cream is sweet but the expression is sour, talks are tough but it's important to be managed." |
| Other EU institutions are watching | Other EU institutions are watching |
| The press teams in the European Parliament and Commission have noticed the effort put into Tusk's Instagram and are paying attention, according to an EU source. | The press teams in the European Parliament and Commission have noticed the effort put into Tusk's Instagram and are paying attention, according to an EU source. |
| "All around the EU everyone is on Instagram. It is new and we need to use it." | "All around the EU everyone is on Instagram. It is new and we need to use it." |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel was an inspiration for Donald Tusk - she has long been active on Instagram but not Twitter. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel was an inspiration for Donald Tusk - she has long been active on Instagram but not Twitter. |
| "We are still communicating the position of the EU, it still has to reflect this but with more emotion." | "We are still communicating the position of the EU, it still has to reflect this but with more emotion." |
| His daughter is a bigger deal though | His daughter is a bigger deal though |
| Although Donald Tusk's Instagram account has received a lot of attention from political journalists lately, he has a long way to become the biggest name in his own family. | Although Donald Tusk's Instagram account has received a lot of attention from political journalists lately, he has a long way to become the biggest name in his own family. |
| His daughter Katarzyna, an Instagram influencer in her native Poland, has more than four times as many followers as her dad. | His daughter Katarzyna, an Instagram influencer in her native Poland, has more than four times as many followers as her dad. |
| Her account combines "photography, style and daily moments". | Her account combines "photography, style and daily moments". |