Abstract

In Spring 2002, a scurrilous discussion was making the rounds in the German media. It concerned whether German chancellor Gerhard Schröder dyed his hair or not. The debate started when a popular magazine cited a self-appointed image counselor with her recommendation that the chancellor should no longer dye his hair, but should rather show off his graying temples. A spokesperson for the chancellor issued a statement in which Mr. Schröder insisted that he did not dye his hair. Finally, Mr. Schröder even applied for an injunction. The matter went to court and was decided in favor of the chancellor in May.Well, the German economy is in the doldrums, the unemployment rate is soaring, German soldiers are stationed in Afghanistan: Doesn’t he have anything better to do? That must have been the reaction of many people when the "hairy story" came up. What is more, the opposition had just named its chancellor candidate for the fall parliamentary elections, whose hair, that should be added, is completely white and not as copious as Schröder’s.The press’ bewilderment at Schröder's reaction was even greater considering he has sued the same magazine he allowed to publish pictures of him at the beginning of his term in 1998, posing in fashionable and very expensive Brioni suits.Apparently, the event has to be regarded as a foreboding of things to come in the electoral campaign and an expression of the chancellor's personal image campaign. In the press, he was quoted as saying: ”If people think I'm cheating with my hair, they won't trust me on other issues either”.So, is this new politics? What are the forces that have made the color of a candidate's hair, dyed or not, the subject of public debate?