Police housing bonus of €2.87 a month branded derisory
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
National Council budget debates revealed police overtime problems and a housing allowance of just €2.87 a month.
During recent budget debates at the National Council, lawmakers turned their attention to two long-standing grievances within the Sûreté Publique: the handling of officers' overtime hours and a housing allowance that has remained fixed at €2.87 a month for years.
The figure drew sharp criticism from the National Council's president, who called it 'derisory, even mean-spirited' given the scale of housing costs across the Principality. Officers posted to Monaco face some of the highest rents in Europe, making the token sum largely symbolic rather than a genuine contribution to living expenses.
The overtime issue adds to the pressure, with concerns raised over how accumulated hours are tracked and compensated within the force. Together, the two points point to wider questions about staff retention and morale within the Sûreté Publique, a force central to the day-to-day security of residents, businesses and the thousands of visitors who pass through Monaco each year.
The government has yet to confirm whether the housing allowance will be revised, but the National Council's intervention signals that pressure for reform is building ahead of future budget discussions.