Marine Tondelier denounces sexism in political expense scrutiny

Sunday 05 October 2025 - 15:00

By: Sahili Aya

Marine Tondelier denounces sexism in political expense scrutiny

The national secretary of the French Green Party, Marine Tondelier, has denounced what she describes as persistent sexism in political scrutiny, following renewed controversy over elected officials’ expense reports in France.

Speaking on BFMTV, Tondelier commented on the recent revelations about several politicians’ spending, including Jeanne d’Hauteserre, the conservative mayor of Paris’s 8th district, who reportedly spent over €35,000 in five years “to be well dressed.”

While acknowledging that such amounts may seem excessive, Tondelier emphasized the double standards faced by women in politics: “Women face far more criticism than men,” she declared, pointing out that female politicians are constantly questioned about their clothing brands or where their outfits are made — questions, she added, “that men are never asked.”

To illustrate her point, Tondelier revealed that she sometimes sleeps in her party’s office to save money, rather than spending “€250 a night in a hotel near Gare du Nord.” “The real life of politicians is not about having lots of money and spending it everywhere,” she smiled.

The controversy comes as several politicians — including Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, who reportedly spent €84,200 on luxury clothing between 2020 and 2024 — face public outrage over their representation expenses.