(Reuters)
French President Francois Hollande has plans to raise taxes on the country's richest residents, but Gerard Depardieu isn't having it. The French actor and filmmaker opposes the proposal to such a degree that he recently applied for — and was granted — Russian citizenship.
Currently, citizens earning more than 1 million euro (around $1.33 million) pay 41 percent of their income in taxes, but Hollande hopes to raise that number to 75 percent. (By comparison, Russia imposes a flat tax rate of only 13 percent.)
"I have never killed anyone, I don't think I've been unworthy, I've paid 145 million [euro] in taxes over 45 years," stated Depardieu in response to being called "pathetic" by France's Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. "I am neither worthy of pity nor admirable, but I shall not be called 'pathetic,'" he added. The actor also announced his intention to give up his passport and French social security card.
At the moment, however, Depardieu's representative refused to comment on whether the actor has accepted Russia's offer of citizenship.
We want to know what you think. What would you do if you were in Depardieu's shoes?
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