Well, righ wing politiicians favour VATs (value added taxes) over direct taxes on income because people usually doesn't think that they are paying taxes when they buy things. So people evade less of those taxes and usually people with lower income who has more tax presure with VATS. If used with necesary products they get guarantee tax money. So basically, it is because it is an easy way to tax women and many men see no problem with taxing those products as they don't consider them "first need".

It is a clasical example of "if i don't see it and doesn't affect me, then it is OK".