President of France, François Hollande and French taxpayers received quite a blow when Le Canard Enchaîné revealed Mr. Hollande spends €10,000 (or $11,100 USD) per month on his personal hairdresser’s tab.

The timing of the revelation couldn’t be worse.

First, the country lost the Euro 2016 to Portugal July 10. (Even a hug from this adorable Portugal fan might not be able to cheer upset taxpayers this time around.)

Even worse, today is Bastille Day, also known as La fête nationale. France’s national day recalls the storming of the Bastille prison and start of the French Revolution. While the actual storming of the prison on July 14, 1789, was a violent event, exactly a year later the French people came together in unity in 1790.

More than 200 years later, July 14 is a day to celebrate French nationalism, which the world now joins through parades, wine, and lighting up monuments. However, this year not everyone is as joyful as usual with news taxes are going to a balding man’s hairdresser bill.

Could another revolution sprout of the anger of Hollande’s high “coiffeur” bill? Probably not, but people are still not happy about it and are using the tag #CoiffeurGate to express their frustrations.

Translation: “When my 2,600 euros of income tax represent one week of the hairdresser’s salary. #CoiffeurGate #shameful.”

Others sarcastically compared Socialist party member Hollande’s hair to royal figures.

The French satirical publication Le Canard enchaîné, also reported that Hollande was so demanding, his personal hairdresser had to have housing and family benefits, and he missed the birth of one of his children — not really helping Hollande’s image.

According to the New York Times, several American politicians from Bill Clinton to Sarah Palin have spent thousands, halting traffic even, to get the perfect campaigning “do.” Or John Edwards dropping $1,250 USD on two haircuts after boasting efforts to alleviate poverty.

And who know knows what US presidential candidate Donald Trump spends on his “coiffeur?” Seriously, he won’t release his tax returns, so we’re not sure who actually knows that info but he’s keeping it a better secret than Hollande.

It’s fun to imagine Hollande with a mullet or Princess Leia buns. But world leaders caring and spending more on their own appearance than some areas of foreign aid or while ignoring domestic poverty is a seriously troubling mentality.  

Let’s hope on Bastille Day, #CoifferGate can be a wake-up call for leadership to get their priorities straightened out not combed over. 

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Demand Equity

Hollande’s €10,000 Hair Bill Sparks Outrage, Hilarious Tweets

By Meghan Werft