MAINZ, Germany— The heads and bodies are gigantic, the subjects are world leaders, and the creations are irresistible to look at.

All of these oversized figures are coming together for a provocative parade at the traditional Mainz carnival celebrations in western Germany.

A figure depicting US President Donald Trump as Emperor Nero is shown during a press preview for the Mainz carnival, in Mainz, Germany Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Michael Probst/AP.)
A figure depicting US President Donald Trump is shown during a press preview for the Mainz carnival, in Mainz, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Michael Probst/AP.)

They included a victorious British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with a grim looking Queen Elizabeth II standing behind him; a bare-chested Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a remote control to steer Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan atop a tank; and a triumphant U.S. President Donald Trump playing the harp like Roman Emperor Nero.

A satiric carnival float depicting US President Donald Trump as horror clown Pennywise is watched by a reveller during a preview in a hall in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Martin Meissner/AP.)
A satiric carnival float depicting US President Donald Trump as horror clown Pennywise is pictured during a preview in a hall in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Martin Meissner/AP.)

The Mainzer Carnival Association presented the colorful figures for a first glimpse Tuesday before they will entertain the crowds on top of floats next week in the traditional Shrove Monday street parade.

Figures depicting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, right, and the Queen Elizabeth II are shown during a press preview for the Mainz carnival, in Mainz, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Michael Probst/AP.)
Figures depicting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and CDU leader Annegret Krampp-Karrenbauer are shown during a press preview for the Mainz carnival, in Mainz, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Michael Probst/AP.)
Two figures depicting Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are shown during a press preview for the Mainz carnival, in Mainz, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Michael Probst/AP.)

Mainz, Cologne and Duesseldorf, Germany’s three big cities along the Rhine River, are all famous for their politically provocative floats. During Carnival, dubbed the “fifth season of the year” before the start of Christian season of Lent, the common people are traditionally allowed to make fun of those in power.

The famous Carnival street parades, which travel for miles through the cities, will include not only the floats, but also dozens of brass bands, dancing groups and “Carnivalists” who throw tons of candy to revelers in the streets.

A satiric carnival float depicting terror, hunger and climate change, is shown during a preview in a hall in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020.  (Credit: Martin Meissner/AP.)
A satiric carnival float depicting the leaders of China, United Kingdom, Russia, USA and North Korea, Xi Jinping, Boris Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un as puppets is watched by a reveller during a preview in a hall in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Martin Meissner/AP.)
A satiric carnival float depicting the Brexit and British members of Parliament as skeletons, is watched by revellers during a preview in a hall in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Martin Meissner/AP.)
A satiric carnival float depicting climate activist Greta Thunberg and German Green leader Robert Habeck surfing on her wave, is pictured by a reveller during a preview in a hall in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020. (Credit: Martin Meissner/AP.)

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