It would seem French politician Segolene Royal has not been in her best game in recent years.
Ever since Ms. Royal lost the 2007 election that would have made her France’s first female president, the glamorous career politician has not had it easy. The year after her defeat to center-right stalwart Nicolas Sarkozy, she tried unsuccessfully to become leader of her Socialist Party. When she made another run for the presidency in 2012, she lost badly in the primaries.
At least that time, the winner was a fellow Socialist: François Hollande, her longtime companion and the father of her four children. But by then, Ms. Royal had also lost him. And another woman, Valérie Trierweiler, a journalist for Paris Match, is now France’s première dame.
Then things became even worse for Ms. Royal. She failed to win a seat in the National Assembly last year, losing in the primaries to a party up-and-comer who famously received the endorsement of none other than Ms. Trierweiler — who tweeted her support. That indiscretion embarrassed President Hollande, rocked the Socialist Party and sent Ms. Royal into the political wilderness.
Though Royal 59, has not given up just yet, she is making quite a splash with a new book titled “Cette Belle Idée du Courage” (“This Beautiful Idea of Courage”) which she dedicated to her four children.
Marie-Ségolène Royal was born September 22, 1953. daughter of a French colonel, was born on an army base in Senegal. She studied economics at the École Nationale d’Administration in Paris, where she met her longtime companion, François Hollande, who later headed the Socialist Party; Royal joined the party in the late 1970s. After graduating in 1980, she served as an adviser to French Pres.
Royal was elected to the National Assembly in 1988 under Francois Mitterrand presidency. She held a series of government posts.
She is mostly known for being the first woman to run for president. In 2007 Royal was named the Socialist Party’s presidential candidate but she crashed and burned to Nicolas Sarkozy.
She and Hollande never tied the knot but in her words their long time relationship and being the mother of his four children “gave a sense of family” Royal gave birth to two sons and two daughters. Thomas born in 1984; Clemence born in 1985; Julien born in 1987 and Flora born in 1992. Her older Thomas, a lawyer is very interested in politics and was very active in both of his parents presidential campaigns.
The couple was officially separated in June 2007; according to publications Royal had asked Hollande to move out so he could pursue his long time affair.
Just like any other woman in political power her style is something of interest; earlier this year she was named by the Guardian as one of the fifty best dressed over 50.
She is also the author of several books. You can follow her on twitter here.
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