The office explained such expenses as the politician’s continued performance of certain duties.
According to Tagesspiegel’s report, the German government spent €55,000 on stylist services for former Chancellor Angela Merkel after she resigned in 2021.
Journalists filed a request using the Freedom of Information Act and received documents they learned that Merkel was still billing the federal government for some costs.
As stated in a previous report, the former chancellor did not hire her long-time make-up artist, instead she started to hire a hair and make-up artist who also works as a fashion designer in Berlin. Documents obtained say the office covered Merkel’s hair and makeup costs at both public and private events. She has currently spent around €55,000 on this: €17,200 in 2023 and €37,780 in 2022.
The government explained such spending as Merkel fulfills “ongoing official duties, publicly or not.”
Tagesspiegel journalists learned that the current German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, also spared no expense to appear before giving a public speech. Her make-up and hair cost already 21,808 Euros this year, compared to 39,910 Euros last year.
Data from a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year showed that spending on photographers, hairdressers and make-up artists rose to nearly €1.5 million in Scholz’s first full year in office in 2022. This is almost 80% more than in 2021 under Merkel.
Such spending has already caused discontent among the Germans. Rainer Holznagel, president of the Taxpayers Association, said the costs should be “kept to a minimum and paid privately in case of doubt”.
Previously Focus He wrote what problems Merkel left to his successor.
Source: Focus
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