Paris’ city hall has been ordered to pay a fine of €90,000 for putting too many women in management positions.

The order was issued Tuesday by  France’s civil service ministry, which determined in its annual report on professional equality that the Paris city hall broke the national rules on gender parity when it appointed 11 women and only 5 men to management positions in 2018.

The civil service ministry condemned the city hall’s high rate of female nominations (69%), justifying the imposition of the €90,000 fine by pointing out that the national rule on gender parity require that each gender receive at least 40% of the nominations to management positions—a rule which the city hall’s broke. (see page 292 of the report).

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo mocked the ministry’s decision as “absurd.”