Paris city hall has been fined 90,000 euros for having appointed too many women to top positions in 2018, in breach of a law aimed at ensuring gender balance.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo denounced the fine as “unfair” and “absurd” on Tuesday during a meeting of the city council.
In 2018, 11 women and five men -- who represent just over 30 per cent -- were appointed to top positions in the Paris city hall, leading the Civil Service Ministry to impose the fine.
A 2013 law, meant to ensure that women get better access to senior jobs in the civil service, requires a minimum of 40 per cent of appointments for each gender.
Since then, the law has been changed to provide for exceptions to nominations when the gender balance is respected overall.
In Paris city hall, 47 per cent of all civil servants in senior positions are women.
“Yes, we need to promote women with determination and vigour because everywhere, France is still lagging behind (on that issue),” Hidalgo said.