Germany’s federal government has spent around €167,000 on hairdressers and makeup artists so far in 2023. The Foreign Office under Annalena Baerbock (Greens) was the biggest spender with €99,000, according to the government’s answer to a question from the AfD parliamentary group.
According to this, hairdresser visits and makeup for the Green minister cost more than those of all other ministries combined. Baerbock is followed by the Federal Chancellery with €23,000 and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs of Lisa Paus (Greens) with €21,000. The Federal Ministry of Economics has the smallest bill, with hair and makeup in Robert Habeck’s ministry costing taxpayers just €550.
Green ministers cost the most
The Ministries of Justice, Agriculture, Health, Digital Affairs, Education and Housing have so far spent nothing on hairdressers and makeup artists.
Overall, the Green ministers — mainly on account of Baerbock — spend the most at €138,000. They are followed by the Social Democrats with a bill of €37,000. The four FDP-led ministries are the cheapest for taxpayers. Only the Federal Ministry of Finance under Christian Lindner paid €1,800 for a hairdresser or makeup artist.
Former chancellor’s hairdresser costs 29,000 euros
Former Federal chancellors can also visit hairdressers and makeup artists at taxpayers’ expense.
In the current year, the cost of hiring a freelance assistant for makeup and hairstyling amounted to 29,000 euros, according to the federal government. Living former chancellors are Gerhard Schröder (SPD) and Angela Merkel (CDU). Merkel’s hair and makeup costs around 3,000 euros per month, as the federal government announced in August.
According to the German government, the amounts also include allowances for travel expenses or materials. However, additional costs incurred by the federal government on business trips — such as visits abroad by the Federal Foreign Office — are not included.
It was noted that taxpayers not only pay for hair and makeup, but also finance expensive self-promotion.
