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Paris and Milan-Cortina delivered two very different Olympic performances, one that ignited a culture-war backlash and another that leaned toward legacy and national pride, contrasting what some observers say mirrors the political paths of Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni.
Olympic opening ceremonies are among the world’s most-watched cultural broadcasts, making them powerful platforms for nations to show how they see themselves and how they want to be seen. Olympic truce advocate and former US diplomat Hugh Dugan told Fox News Digital, “Paris tried to reinterpret tradition. Milan demonstrated tradition.” He highlighted the differences between the ceremonies as part of a wider debate on the role of culture, politics and identity in sports.
Dugan described the 2024 Paris celebrations as “a deliberately disruptive, decentralized, urban spectacle … visually bold but polarizing”, built around a narrative collage of modern France, diversity and reinterpretation of history. He said that the choreography and costumes “often contain explicit social commentary”, leading to debate over whether parts of the ceremony were intentionally provocative or ideologically driven.
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The Trocadero venue during the arrival of delegations in Paris during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics on July 26, 2024. (Francois-Xavier Mariette/Pool Photo via AP)
The 2024 Paris inauguration ceremony held along the banks of the Seine sparked controversy after a section widely interpreted as referencing Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” was criticized by Christian groups and conservative commentators, before organizers clarified the intention and apologized for any offence.
The moment became a flashpoint in France’s broader culture-war debate over the meaning of identity, religion, and public symbolism. The Conversation reported that the ceremony initiated a national discussion on “woke ideology” and the cultural direction of France.
Some of the artists who appeared in the Last Supper depiction at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)
“The Olympics have become a platform for sports as well as cultural politics,” Emma Schubart, a research fellow at the Britain-based Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.
He added, “President Emmanuel Macron’s France leaned toward progressive, ‘woke’ politics and post-national symbolism, while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Italy emphasized heritage, tradition, and unapologetic national pride. These aesthetic choices reflect broader divisions over Europe’s cultural and political future.”
Team Italy flag bearers Ariana Fontana and Federico Pellegrino walk in the parade during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium on February 6, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Dugan praised the Italian Games, saying that the Milan–Cortina Winter Sports Festival highlighted “tradition, harmony, coexistence and the Olympic truce”, emphasizing heritage, landscape and athlete processions rather than political messages. He called the Italian approach “panoramic, heritage-driven, classical”, compared to the “maximalist, narrative-driven, experimental” style of Paris.
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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends the opening ceremony of the Olympic torch relay for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games at the Quirinalle Palace in Rome on December 5, 2025. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
Reporting on the Milan ceremony described it as a unity-focused event, celebrating Italian culture, design and scenery, while also releasing pre-Games tensions and highlighting the Olympic ideal of connection and peace. Coverage emphasized tradition and spectacle rather than ideological symbolism, with performances rooted in classical imagery and national identity.
Dugan, who recently launched a Truce Compliance Index that tracks how countries adhere to the tradition, argued that the difference reflects two different philosophies about what Olympic ceremonies should represent.
Italian actress Matilda De Angelis performs during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Paris leans toward modern identity and pluralism, he said, presenting an ambitious cultural narrative that some audiences found adventurous while others considered it politically charged. In contrast, Milan focused its message on timeless themes related to heritage, human connection and the Olympic truce.
French President Emmanuel Macron waves during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (Christian Livig-Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
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The contrast between the celebrations highlights the broader evolution of the Olympics. Host nations are increasingly using opening ceremonies to present national identity and values, whether through modern reinterpretation or traditional symbolism.
