Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking a pay cut of 10{1f0bb132e08ca1f8565add86e1f8740171c75f84ed80bad4a750114913f392ef} as his country’s economy sinks into a deep recession.
But how does his salary compare to those of other world leaders?
Here is how the pay of prime ministers and presidents of the big developed and emerging economies stack up, according to the most recent official data and converted into U.S. dollars at the current rate.
President Obama leads the pack with $400,000 a year. The presidential salary doubled when George W. Bush became president in 2001.
Zimbabwe has some of the least paid civil servants in the world, even an ordinary industrial worker earns around US$150 (R2000) per month. Surprisingly, Zimbabwe’s president is amongst the world’s 10 highest paid presidents. He even earns more than what most first world countries’ presidents earn.
In addition, Obama gets a tax-free expense account worth $50,000.
1: United States of America – Barack Obama – US$400,000.
2: Canada – Stephen HArper – US$260,000
3: Germany – Angela Merkel – US$234,400
Merkel’s salary as German chancellor is set at 216,000 euros a year ($234,383). The chancellor and her ministers got a 2.2{1f0bb132e08ca1f8565add86e1f8740171c75f84ed80bad4a750114913f392ef} pay rise at the beginning of March, according to government documents.
4: South Africa – Jacob Zuma – US$223,500
The director of the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa, advocate Paul Hoffman, said the obvious question should be whether Zuma is able to match his income with his effectiveness.
He said it was inappropriate in a country where people go to bed hungry for the president to be among the world’s top earners.
5: United Kingdom – David Cameroon – US$214,800
The British prime minister earns £142,500 ($214,782) a year. That includes his salary as a member of parliament, which is £67,060.
6: Japan – Shino Abe – US$202,700
7: France – Francois Hollande – US$194,300
The French president would have ranked much higher on this list, had he not taken a 30{1f0bb132e08ca1f8565add86e1f8740171c75f84ed80bad4a750114913f392ef} pay cut the moment he took office in 2012.
Without the haircut, Hollande would have earned 255,600 euros a year ($274,522), second only to Obama. Now he makes $194,251.
8: Zimbabwe – Robert Gabriel Mugabe – US$156,000
Just after turning 91 years old, Zimbabwe’s President Robert MUgabe reveals that he earns a whooping US$12,000 per month. That multiplied by 12 becomes US$144,000. Add annual bonus (the 13th cheque), Robert Mugabe becomes the world’s 8th highest paid president with US$156,000. Even if the annual bonus is deducted, he still remains the world’s eighth highest paid president.
9: Russia – Vladimir Putin – US$136,000
In the face of his country’s worst economic crisis in years, Putin said last week he was cutting his salary by 10{1f0bb132e08ca1f8565add86e1f8740171c75f84ed80bad4a750114913f392ef}. He now earns roughly 8.2 million rubles per year ($136,000) as Russian president.
10: Italy – Matteo Renzi – US$124,600
11: Brazil – Dilma Rousseff – US$120,000
12: India – Narendra Modi – US$30,000
The Indian prime minister’s salary is just 1,900,000 rupees a year, which comes to little over $30,000. That’s according to an official response to a freedom of information request submitted by local media.
13: China – Xi Jinping – US$22,000
He might be in charge of the world’s second largest economy, but Chinese President Xi Jinping’s salary is just $22,000. And that’s after a 60{1f0bb132e08ca1f8565add86e1f8740171c75f84ed80bad4a750114913f392ef} pay rise at the start of this year.
