Ireland’s President Higgins is Europe’s second-highest-paid

How much should heads of state be rewarded? A recent study revealed some surprising results around Europe.

Recent findings reveal that Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins ranks as Europe’s second-highest paid head of state, surpassed only by Switzerland’s President Viola Amherd. This information emerges from a detailed analysis comparing presidential salaries across Europe.

The study’s findings highlighted that President Higgins’ annual salary exceeds €330,000. This figure is nearly seven times the average income in Ireland.

In comparison, Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev earn significantly less, yet their salaries are higher relative to their countries’ average wages. Radev receives €124,000, but this amounts to ten times the average Bulgarian’s wage.

Comparing presidential earnings

Europe’s highest presidential salary goes to Switzerland’s Viola Amherd, with an impressive annual income of €545,183. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Slovenia’s Natasa Pirc Musar receives €44,701 annually, just three per cent above the national average wage.

In Ukraine and Serbia, the presidential salaries are also notably low in relation to the average earnings. The study acknowledges the diverse roles and responsibilities of these presidents.

Despite holding a largely ceremonial position, Higgins’ salary surpasses that of France’s Emmanuel Macron, who leads his government and earns €190,752 annually.

Economic context and transparency

Presidential salaries in Europe vary significantly. On average, European heads of state earn 4.1 times more than the average citizen, costing about €49.62 per hour to taxpayers. This analysis included 31 European nations with a president as head of state, excluding the monarchies of Denmark, Spain and the UK.

Interestingly, in 2011, during a major economic downturn, President Higgins pledged to reduce his salary by 23.5 per cent, amounting to an annual income of €249,014. However, he later resumed his full salary, while voluntarily donating his Oireachtas and ministerial pensions to the state.

The report points out that Ireland’s strong economy, with a GDP per capita of US$112,248, puts Higgins’ salary in a different light.

Relative to the country’s wealth, his earnings are among the ten lowest. In contrast, Cyprus and Switzerland, with more hands-on presidential roles, also feature among the top earners when compared to average wages.