Post date: Jan 10, 2014 3:35:26 PM
People on the streets of Paris say they are not interested in reports by celebrity magazine 'Closer' alleging that French President Francois Hollande was having an affair with a film actress.
PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 10, 2014) (REUTERS) - French celebrity magazine Closer alleged on Friday (January 10) that France's President Francois Hollande was having an affair with a film actress. Hollande threatened legal action against the magazine for breach of privacy.
The weekly tabloid, criticised in 2012 for publishing topless pictures of Kate Middleton, Britain's Duchess of Cambridge, printed seven pages of photos of comings and goings outside a Paris apartment block to support its allegation.According to Closer, movie actress Julie Gayet, 41, is seen arriving at the apartment block in Paris's upmarket eighth arrondissement late at night.
The pictures then show the arrival of a man resembling Hollande's bodyguard. A second man - which Closer said was Hollande - then arrives on the back of a scooter. He is unidentifiable because he is wearing a black helmet.
Subsequent photos taken in the morning show the first man arriving with what Closer said was a bag of croissants, then the second man in a helmet emerging and jumping on the back of a scooter.
The woman resembling Gayet, who has acted in French films including the 2013 comedy "Quai d'Orsay" in which she plays a vampish diplomatic adviser in the foreign ministry, then comes out and heads down the street.
People on the streets of central Paris did not seem interested in the story and defended Hollande's right to privacy.
"Closer, I think it's a revolting magazine, I don't think it's interesting at all. It's Francois Hollande's private life, I think life is life. I think it's an uninteresting issue and I think there many other more important issues in France than this one," said a 30-year-old Parisian communications sector worker who gave her name as Emmanuelle.
"I think he is a person like any other and he has the right to a private life like anyone else. Anyway, we don't know if it's a rumour or not, I think it's quite pointless," said a man who gave his name as Zeinab.
"I find this quite low, frankly it's not interesting. He (the President) can react the way he wants, it's his private life but honestly it's completely pointless," agreed another man called Jean-Christophe.
Gayet, a Socialist party supporter, openly backed Hollande during the 2012 presidential race, describing him in one filmed interview as "fantastic" and "really ready to listen".
There was no immediate comment from lawyers for Gayet, a mother of two. She filed a complaint for breach of privacy last March after rumours of an affair with Hollande became public.
Hollande is in a long-term relationship with ex-journalist Valerie Trierweiler, who has assumed the functions of France's first lady. Her lawyer declined to comment.
He has four children from a previous relationship with Segolene Royal, a senior member of his Socialist Party and a 2007 presidential candidate. Royal announced their separation just after she lost the 2007 election to Nicolas Sarkozy.
French politicians have in the past been known to have affairs, with little impact on public opinion.