French President Break Up With First Lady
-French President Francois Hollande and the first lady parted ways on Saturday, with the leader declaring it's over and his partner of several years bidding farewell to the staff of the presidential residence.
The breakup occurred in
the wake of a media account earlier this month about Hollande allegedly
having an affair with actress Julie Gayet.
Hollande told a French news outlet Saturday he is ending his relationship with his partner, Valerie Trierweiler.
"I wish to make it known
that I have ended my shared life (partnership) with Valerie
Trierweiler," Hollande is quoted as saying to Agence France-Presse.
Trierweiler sent a goodbye message Saturday via Twitter to the staff at the presidential palace.
"All my gratitude goes to
the extraordinary people at the Élysées. I will never forget the
devotion or emotion at the time of leaving," she wrote.
Hollande's private life
has been the subject of global headlines since the French magazine
Closer claimed this month he was having a two-year affair with Gayet.
Speculation about the
split swirled Saturday after a French national weekly reported that
Hollande was expected to announce his separation from Trierweiler on
Saturday, a day before Trierweiler travels to India. The story was
picked up by several French media outlets.
But the French presidency
initially denied the report that an announcement would be made. "It is a
rumor that circulated on the Internet today. There is absolutely no
confirmation of the publication of a statement today," the palace press
officer told CNN.
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