Balding socialist Francois Hollande spends €10,000 per month on haircuts

If you can't deal with all this awfulness about Nice in the news today, here's a more amusing story from the French Press

French satirical newspaper Le Canard enchaîné has reported that the socialist President of France, who calls himself "Mr. Normal" spends €9,895 per month on employing for himself a personal hairdresser at the Palace, on a contract for the duration of Hollande's presidency.

The total expenditure on the Presidential hairdresser's salary is expected to be €593,000. Marie Antoinette stuff.

A spokesperson for the French president confirmed the lavish expenditure but, eh, brushed it off, saying, "Everyone has their hair done, don’t they?”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/13/bad-hair-days-for-francois-hollande-over-10000-coiffeur-bill

kfallon

He'd save himself €9,875 if he just bought 4 gillette Mach 3 razors a month and shaved his head!

biko

The problem with socialists is that sooner or later they run out of someone else's money.

mzungu

I'd rather knot get all tied up in this thread.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Jim Bob Scratcher

You'd think he'd get a hair transplant.

Renegade Mechanic

Lol, socialism is for the common pleb, you silly people. Not the wealthy elite, good heavens no! Silly, silly people :rolleyes:

Jim Bob Scratcher

Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »

You'd think he'd get a hair transplant.

A friend of mine had that done, and spent about €10,000. There's really no excuse for going bald anymore (unless you like it).

Only one month's salary for this barber.

Also, what kind of barber earns €120k per year? That's more than is earned by French senators or Irish TDs.

valoren

kfallon wrote: »

He'd save himself €9,875 if he just bought 4 gillette Mach 3 razors a month and shaved his head!

Le Presidente does not shaffe eeeeee's own hurrr :mad:

Ulysses Gaze

Sure Pat Bart "The Last Socialist in the Dail" Ahern spent over €167,000 on makeup from 1997 to 2005.

Socialists. Lol......

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/no-sparing-berties-blusher-in-makeup-budget-25979751.html

Riddle101

€10,000 per month for haircuts? What an unnecessary waste of money.

SEPT 23 1989

look at the figures for keeping our own "socialist" in the park

SEPT 23 1989

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

look at the figures for keeping our own "socialist" in the park

In fairness, as soon as he entered office, he docked his own salary by €75k.

There aren't many who would impose a 20% pay cut on themselves tomorrow morning, even when they can afford it.

Lovely Bloke

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

A friend of mine had that done, and spent about €10,000. There's really no excuse for going bald anymore (unless you like it).

Well, I have a family to raise, so dropping ten large on a vanity project isn't really doable at the moment Matilda!

r93kaey5p2izun

If it's coming from his own salary then it wouldn't bother me. It's a silly amount to spend on hair but whatever he likes himself. But if it's in addition to his salary then it's disgraceful.

uch

Jaysus my old barber would fiddle with his Lad for a month for that money

Wibbs

uch wrote: »

Jaysus my old barber would fiddle with his Lad for a month for that money

I fiddle with me lad for nothing. I'd fiddle with other people's lads for that money.

Brendan Screeching Wastebasket

Brendan Screeching Wastebasket wrote: »

If it's coming from his own salary then it wouldn't bother me. It's a silly amount to spend on hair but whatever he likes himself. But if it's in addition to his salary then it's disgraceful.

It's completely taxpayer-funded.

The story is buried in the French press (for obvious reasons), but even over the past few days, with the exception of a bit of tut-tutting, it's been reported in the French press like a big joke.

We often think we're the worst country in the world for gombeenism, or whatever the correct term is, but a proportionate scandal in Ireland would be a resignation offence. Or, at the very least, people would be genuinely angry and demand accountability.

I know some won't like to hear that, because we almost like to think that we're the worst (or, the best at being the worst?), but actually we're very serious in this country when it comes to politics. Certainly moreso than the French, in general. We wouldn't tolerate it. The French have mainly been joking about it.

waraf

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

A friend of mine had that done, and spent about €10,000. There's really no excuse for going bald anymore (unless you like it).

What about the excuse: I don't have a spare 10 grand lying about

waraf

waraf wrote: »

What about the excuse: I don't have a spare 10 grand lying about

Of course. I don't either. I just mean it's a 'doable' amount to save, if you don't.

DEFTLEFTHAND

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

look at the figures for keeping our own "socialist" in the park

They're certainly feeding him well up there, he's turned into a little ball of dough.

mahoganygas

biko wrote:

The problem with socialists is that sooner or later they run out of someone else's money.

Baroness, I hardly recognised you.

suicide_circus

As Christopher Hitchens once pointed out, it terms of politicians and their scandals - wth conservatives it's invariably about sex and with socialists it's invariably about money.

ArtSmart

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

It's completely taxpayer-funded.

The story is buried in the French press (for obvious reasons #1), but even over the past few days, with the exception of a bit of tut-tutting, it's been reported in the French press like a big joke.

We often think we're the worst country in the world for gombeenism, or whatever the correct term is, but a proportionate scandal in Ireland would be a resignation offence. Or, at the very least, people would be genuinely angry and demand accountability.

I know some won't like to hear that, because we almost like to think that we're the worst (or, the best at being the worst?), but actually we're very serious in this country when it comes to politics. Certainly moreso than the French, in general. We wouldn't tolerate it. #2 The French have mainly been joking about it.

#1 Because it's complete bollix?

#2 Charlie's shirts came from France I think.


Anyway, if any one out there thinks a barber charges, and gets away with charging, 10k for a haircut...well, I've an Eiffel Tower going cheap...

ArtSmart

ArtSmart wrote: »

Anyway, if any one out there thinks a barber charges, and gets away with charging, 10k for a haircut...well, I've an Eiffel Tower going cheap...

10k is the barber's monthly salary. 120k per annum, not including other expenses.

He's a personal barber who, according to the report, brushes M. Hollande's hair every morning.

The story may have broken in a satirical newspaper, but it's a legit story, confirmed by the President's spokesman, and was put directly to Hollande on television, who defended it by saying he didn't personally arrange this, someone did it for him.

ArtSmart

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

10k is the barber's monthly salary. 120k per annum, not including other expenses.

He's a personal barber who, according to the report, brushes M. Hollande's hair every morning.

The story may have broken in a satirical newspaper, but it's a legit story, confirmed by the President's spokesman, and was put directly to Hollande on television, who defended it by saying he didn't personally arrange this, someone did it for him.

It's a non story.

Take a look at any govt expenditure where contractors are used on a full availability basis.

It's presented as vanity - a betrayal of socialist principles. '10k for a haircut'. It aint.

This is at best, tongue-in-cheek (my take), at worst an opportunity for cheap shots at the 'champagne socialist' label. Nonsense.

ArtSmart

ArtSmart wrote: »

It's a non story.

Take a look at any govt expenditure where contractors are used on a full availability basis.

He certainly wouldn't be the first profligate politician, but you can't compare a personal hairdresser on 120k to an expert policy adviser, such as an economist.

This is a salary comparable to a cabinet minister in France.

It's presented as vanity - a betrayal of socialist principles. '10k for a haircut'. It aint.

Look, it's not going to bankrupt France, but it's a serious misuse of public money.

At a time when Hollande is trying to push through serious labour reforms that will make it easier for firms to dismiss workers, it smacks of detachment and hypocrisy, for him to have a man employed to brush his hair every morning, paid 120k p/annum.

ArtSmart

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

He certainly wouldn't be the first profligate politician, but you can't compare a personal hairdresser on 120k to an expert policy adviser, such as an economist.

This is a salary comparable to a cabinet minister in France.

Look, it's not going to bankrupt France, but it's a serious misuse of public money.

At a time when Hollande is trying to push through serious labour reforms that will make it easier for firms to dismiss workers, it smacks of detachment and hypocrisy, for him to have a man employed to brush his hair every morning, paid 120k p/annum.

Yes, 'smacks' in the word. Until there's a breakdown of equitable expenses for the PM of other similar countries, this is a non story.
It's in the same vein as Obama '8 million dollar' holidays.

That's about all I can offer on this one.

gizmo555

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

We often think we're the worst country in the world for gombeenism, or whatever the correct term is, but a proportionate scandal in Ireland would be a resignation offence. Or, at the very least, people would be genuinely angry and demand accountability.

I don't know about that - "Irish Times", 25 May 2006:

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has spent €85,244.90 on make-up services in just over four years, according to figures he released to the Dáil. Last year €25,107.22 was spent, the equivalent of €482.83 a week.

Mr Ahern told John Gormley (Green Party, Dublin South East): "When I am due to speak in Dáil Éireann or I am about to be interviewed for television, I make the normal preparations that are standard for all those who participate in television programmes, just as successive taoisigh have done since the introduction of the televising of Dáil proceedings in 1990."

Mr Gormley, who raised the issue during Taoiseach's questions, had asked for "the annual figures for money paid to a person and a company [details supplied] since 2002 for services to his department".

The figures showed that in 2002, €11,744.77 was spent, while the cost was €18,675.43 in 2003. The expenditure in 2004 amounted to €25,652.82 which was €545.60 less than last year. The cost for the first three months of this year was € 4,064.66.