French president Francois Hollande’s four children today vowed never to speak to his partner again after blaming her for their mother’s humiliating election defeat.
Ségolène Royal, 58, was set to become the new speaker of the National Assembly — one of the most powerful jobs in the country — if she won the western seat of La Rochelle yesterday.
But she lost when 63 per cent of the vote went to dissident Socialist Olivier Falorni, a candidate supported by Mr Hollande’s girlfriend Valérie Trierweiler, 47.
Today Ms Royal was being comforted by her four adult children. A senior Socialist Party source in Paris said: “Like many others, they have already had enough of Valérie Trierweiler’s viciousness.”
Ms Trierweiler caused outrage last week when she tweeted her support for Mr Falorni, with Ms Royal speaking of a “violent” blow to her ambitions.
Following her defeat, Ms Royal quoted the writer Victor Hugo saying: “Traitors always pay for their treachery in the end.”
Although Mr Hollande’s Socialist party looked set to win between 313 and 315 of the 577 seats in the National Assembly, an absolute majority, he has a serious domestic crisis on his hands.
Ms Royal has pledged to stay in politics, and has not ruled out standing for the leadership of the Socialists.
She said: “I will continue to weigh upon national politics. I am passionately motivated by the love of France and the wellbeing of the French.”
Marine Le Pen — who last month was a presidential candidate — failed to win Henin Beaumont for the far-Right National Front party founded by her father Jean-Marie Le Pen.
However, her niece Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, a 22-year-old law student, did win a seat to become the youngest French MP in modern history.
