François Hollande side steps affair reports at news conference

 
French President Francois Hollande delivers his speech at his annual news conference, Tuesday, Jan.14, 2014 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Hollande is promising to cut 50 billion euros in public spending over 2015-2017 to try to improve the indebted economy. Hollande, a Socialist, came to office in 2012 on pledges to avoid the painful austerity measures carried out by neighboring Spain and Italy. But Franceís economy has suffered two recessions in recent years and growth is forecast at an anemic 0.2 percent in 2013.
Staff|Agency14 January 2014

French President François Hollande says his "indignation is total" over a tabloid report that he is having a secret affair, saying it violates his privacy.

Mr Hollande's partner, journalist Valerie Trierweiler, has been in hospital since Friday, when the magazine Closer published photos it said proved Mr Hollande's liaison with French actress Julie Gayet. The report has heaped new pressure on the already unpopular president.

Mr Hollande told a news conference today that "my indignation is total" and the report is a "violation that touches a personal liberty".

He did not say whether the report is true.

He was facing the media for the first time since news of his alleged affair became public.

It came as a new poll suggests three-quarters of voters already think he is doing a lousy job of running the world's No 5 economy.

Mr Hollande is a lifelong bachelor, though he has four children with former presidential candidate Segolene Royal. He and Ms Trierweiler have lived together since 2007, and while they are not married, Ms Trierweiler occupies the so-called "madame wing" of the presidential palace, travels abroad with Mr Hollande and functions as the first lady.

The French public initially shrugged off talk about the secret affair as Mr Hollande's private business. But pollsters said yesterday that Ms Trierweiler's hospital stay renders the scandal more serious, and is likely to damage Mr Hollande's already-record-low popularity ratings.

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