THE Elysee Palace was hit with a sex scandal yesterday when it was alleged in a book by two prominent French political journalists that Valerie Trierweiler, the country's first lady, was conducting affairs with the socialist Francois Hollande and a minister from the previous right-wing administration while married to a third man.| Busy girl, with a passion for her avocation. |
The book alleges that Ms Trierweiler, a mother-of-three, began the affairs while Mr Hollande was still living with Segolene Royal - the mother of his four children and a former presidential candidate - and while Patrick Devedjian, who is a senior member of the opposition and close friend of Nicolas Sarkozy, was living with his wife of more than 30 years. Mr Hollande and Ms Royal did not publicly end their relationship until this year, but the book claims he kept a mistress for many years.
Ms Trierweiler filed for divorce in 2007 from her husband, Denis, a fellow journalist at Paris Match; the separation was completed in 2010.
She is deeply unpopular in opinion polls. She has been described as the "First Concubine" by the French media, who have delighted in the mutual loathing between her and Ms Royal.
With Ms Trierweiler, who has her own office in the Elysee Palace, fiercely disputing the allegations, the book is likely to raise further questions about the private lives of French politicians.