Top 20 highest-paid government leaders in the world (2023)

It is assumed that the president of the country is supposed to be the highest paid, and this is one of the reasons why the position is highly contested. Even though that does not apply to every country, this list of the top 20 highest-paid government leaders in the world lets you in on how much these figures rack in annually.

What country has the highest-paid government leader? Apart from revealing the identities of these civil servants, this list unpacks the countries they are from and the positions they serve. So, here are the top 20 highest-paid world leaders.

Which government has the highest-paid leader?

Who do you think is the highest-paid leader in the world? Do African leaders feature in this list? Check it out to find out more.

20. Emmanuel Macron - France

Emmanuel Macron, the current French president, is one highest-paid government leaders in Europe. Reportedly, he earns $154,000 annually.

19. Mark Rutte - Netherlands

Mark Rutte is one of the Netherlands' longest-serving leaders and one of the highest-paid government leaders. He racks in $170,000 annually.

18. Tsai Ing-wen - Taiwan

Tsai Ing-wen, a Taiwanese politician and the current president of the Republic of China, is the country's first female head of state. She got into office in 2016, and her annual salary is $171,000.

17. Guðni Th. Jóhannesson - Iceland

President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson of Iceland is one of the highest-paid presidents in the world. His annual salary is approximately $188,000.

16. Yoon Suk Yeol - South Korea

Yoon Suk Yeol, the 13th and current president of South Korea, got into office in 2022, and his annual salary is $192,898. However, in January 2023, the South Korean cabinet approved a plan to freeze the annual salaries of top government officials, and the president will be among those affected.

15. Sauli Niinistö - Finland

Finland's Sauli Niinistö is one of the highest-paid politicians in Europe. He took over as president in 2012 and earns a salary of $212,000 per annum.

14. Fumio Kishida - Japan

The Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, took over the office in 2021 and racks in an annual salary of $220,000.

13. Cyril Ramaphosa - South Africa

Who is the highest-paid president in Africa? Cyril Ramaphosa, the current South African president, is the highest-paid African leader. He took over the office in February 2018 after Jacob Zuma's resignation, and his annual salary is $227,000.

12. Sergio Mattarella - Italy

Italy's Sergio Mattarella is the highest-paid politician from Italy. He took over the office in 2015 and racks in $260,000 annually.

11. Justin Trudeau - Canada

Justin Trudeau is the Canadian Prime Minister and the member of parliament for Papineau. He earns a base salary of approximately $140,000 and another $140,000 for his role as Prime Minister. Cumulatively, his annual salary is $270,000.

10. Karl Nehammer - Austria

Karl Nehammer, the Chancellor of Austria, is one of the youngest heads of state. He earns $328,584 per annum, making him one of the highest-paid heads of state.

9. Xavier Bettel - Luxembourg

Xavier Bettel has served as the Prime Minister of Luxembourg since December 2013; his annual is $340,000. He previously served as the Mayor of Luxembourg City.

8. Michael D. Higgins - Ireland

Michael D Higgins has served as the 9th president of Ireland since 2011. His annual salary is $345,000, making him one of the top 10 highest-paid presidents in the world.

7. Rishi Sunak - UK

Rishi Sunak, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is one of the highest-paid MPs in the world. His earnings are made up of two payments, his salary as the Prime Minister and an additional salary as an elected member of parliament. He is also entitled to an additional annual allowance. Cumulatively Rishi Sunak's racks in $346,141 per annum.

6. Chris Hipkins - New Zealand

Chris Hipkins, New Zealand's Prime Minister, is serving the position of the 40th prime minister of the country. He racks in $376,160 annually.

5. Joe Biden - USA

Being the leader of a superpower would easily make Joe Biden the highest-paid president in the world. He earns $400,000 annually and has access to luxurious amenities like Air Force One and the White House.

4. Alain Berset - Switzerland

Which president is the highest paid? President Alain Berset of Switzerland earns $482,958 annually, the highest salary earned by any other head of government in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The OECD is an intergovernmental economic organization of the 36 highest-income economies.

3. Anthony Albanese - Australia

Who is the highest-paid civil servant in the world? Anthony Albanese, the Australian newly-elected Prime Minister, features in this list of the highest-paid government leaders. When he got into office in 2022, he received a 40% pay rise for his new role; hence, his annual salary jumped to $549,250.

2. John Lee - Hong Kong

Which president is the highest paid? Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, is second among the highest-paid government officials in the world. An August 2022 publication confirmed that Lee, Hong Kong's new leader, received a salary bump. His monthly salary was set at $58,000, and an additional $10,000 entertainment allowance. Cumulatively, his annual salary is $816,000, slightly higher than Carrie Lam, his predecessor.

1. Lee Hsien Loong - Singapore

Who has the highest pay in the world? Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, tops the list as the highest-paid government leader in the world. He racks in $2,200,000 annually. The figure is 12 times what Russia's Vladimir Putin earns and $400,00 more than President Joe Biden's salary.

According to a section of top government officials, high salaries are supposed to discourage senior government officials from corruption. The figures also aim at attracting the brightest government officials to serve the citizens. There are speculations that the high salaries also contribute to the country being among the least corrupt in the world.

This list of the highest-paid government leaders in the world gives you a glimpse of how much countries are willing to go to compensate their leaders. Some have been in power for decades, while others are months in. Some face the threat of salary reduction, while others recently received pay increases.

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