The most recent edition of French magazine Closer has revealed that France’s socialist President is cheating on his official partner Valerie Trierweiler. The magazine alleges that Hollande has been sneaking around having an affair with French actress and model Julie Gayet. Though he has not denied the affair, it hasn’t seemed to affect his popularity one way of the other.
When it came out in Closer, the magazine that recently drew fire for publishing topless photos of Duchess of Cambridge on a private holiday in the south of France, that President Francois Hollande has been seen sneaking around with an actress, some here looked forward to the impending fallout.
It doesn’t look like there is much blowback coming, however. It might be because Hollande is already the most unpopular president they have had in a decade. But, things can always get worse. More likely, it is because privacy means something different in France.
Hollande has not actually denied the claims that he has a mistress, but he has lashed out at the tabloid for their lack of respect in an official statement from Elysée Palace(via Guardian):
"[The President] deeply deplores the attacks on the principle of respect for privacy, to which he, like every citizen, has a right."
That’s not so surprising. What is a little surprising are other politician’s reactions.
The Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has publicly agreed that it was Hollande's right to demand respect of his privacy, while the Minister of the Interior Manuel Valls mentioned that the president had a right to seek legal action.
What’s most amazing is that the leader of the far-right National Front Party Marine Le Pen even agreed that it was inappropriate to talk about the affair, and she is a woman (via BBC):
"As long as it doesn't cost the taxpayer a penny...I believe everyone has the right to have their private life respected. There is no reason why the media should take it upon themselves to reveal a person's private life, provided their political activity is not affected."
Things sure are different in France.
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