The phrase comes from the televised 2017 French presidential debate, where Emmanuel Macron dismissed Marine Le Pen's proposal as 'de la poudre de perlimpinpin'. The expression is much older French slang for a worthless magic powder sold by charlatans. Clips of the exchange spread quickly online in France, and editors soon looped the unusual word into remixes and reaction videos. It remains popular because the sound is catchy even for non French speakers, while French audiences instantly recognise the political sarcasm behind it.