You can’t forbid living beautifully: Merkel’s makeup cost the federal government "tidy" amount

After former German Chancellor Angela Merkel left office, she continues to bill the German government for some services. Among them – the cost of a make-up artist and stylist. For 2 years they amounted to … 55,000 euros.

That is, Germany spent this amount on Merkel’s hair and makeup after her resignation in 2021. writes Tagesspiegel. The publication refers to documents obtained through a request based on the Freedom of Information Act.

According to the information received, the ex-chancellor does not use the services of his former makeup artist, but relies on a new hairdresser-make-up artist who also works as a fashion designer. Merkel billed the government for €17,200 in 2023 and €37,780 in 2022. Ms. Merkel’s hair and make-up is paid for for both public and private events.

In practice, this means, the newspaper emphasizes, that for the external attractiveness of the former head of government in Berlin, they pay about 3,000 euros a month. If the stylist accompanies Merkel to meetings, then this involves the cost of her travel and hotel accommodation. The German office said:

“The incurring of expenses is associated with the performance of ongoing official duties – whether they are public or non-public.”

Earlier, the increase in officials’ spending on make-up* and hairdressing caused some criticism. Rainer Holznagel, president of the Taxpayers’ Association, said costs should be “keep to a minimum and, in case of doubt, paid privately.”

However, the current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also spares no expense for public appearances, writes Tagesspiegel. This year alone, the office spent 21,808 euros on hair and make-up, and in 2022 this figure reached 39,910 euros.

Just a week ago, Bavaria leader Markus Söder made headlines: in 2022, his office spent almost 180,000 euros on freelance photographers, in addition to 36,000 euros a year for a full-time photographer.

Earlier, the German government warned Merkel about the high costs of her office in the Bundestag. In addition, the German Taxpayers Association criticized the 137,000 euros spent on a make-up artist for the head of the Foreign Ministry.

*Visage is not limited to makeup. This is a more general concept, which implies the creation of a holistic image in which all elements are in harmony with each other.

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