France: Shaking up the role of First Lady
President François Hollande’s companion, Valérie Trierweiler, objects to being called First Lady.
Don’t call her the First Lady, said Sébastien Le Fol in Le Figaro. President François Hollande’s companion, Valérie Trierweiler, says she finds the term “repugnant” and is seeking another one. To help her out, this newspaper is running an online referendum so readers can vote on a new moniker. So far, “la première concubine” is in the lead, followed by “la first girlfriend.” Of course, Trierweiler would reject both of those terms, just as she rejects her entire new role. Touring the Elysée Palace last month after Hollande was elected, Trierweiler conceded that the staff was very nice, but then sniffed that she couldn’t possibly be merely the mistress of the presidential household. “I discovered that one expects a First Lady to kiss sick children or plan menus, and this revolts me!” she informed us. Instead, she has announced that she will keep her job as a journalist for the weekly Paris Match, conflict of interest be damned.
This puts Paris Match in an awkward position, said Fanny Guinochet in Le Nouvel Observateur. Trierweiler is no longer the employee she was before the election. “Firing the First Lady would look bad.” And how will they negotiate her salary? Trierweiler justifies her decision with an appeal to feminism. The twice-divorced mother of three boys says she cannot depend on a man—even the president—for her family’s financial well-being. The problem, of course, said Pascale Nivelle in Libération, is that journalists’ credibility demands their “complete independence” from politicians. How can she achieve that while sleeping with the president? Trierweiler brushes aside such criticism, saying she will write only on “cultural affairs,” not politics.
Sorry, but culture is political—especially in France, said Béatrice Vallaeys, also in Libération. Politicians always have favorite artists, writers, and singers that they use to embody their political programs. Choosing to review a particular book or film, whether it is “elitist or subversive,” is not an apolitical act for any journalist, much less one who is connected to the president. “Instead of serving the journalistic profession, as she thinks, she’s giving it a kick in the behind.” She wants to work to support her kids? Fine. Just not in journalism. Every word she writes would be politically loaded.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
She proved that in spades this week with a single tweet, said Rory Mulholland in Agence France-Presse. Trierweiler couldn’t resist a “catty” dig at Ségolène Royal, who was Hollande’s companion for three decades before Trierweiler came along, and who is the mother of his four children. Royal is running for a parliamentary seat with Hollande’s open backing—but Trierweiler tweeted that she hoped the other guy would win. Hollande’s Socialist party is furious, while the opposition is scornful. “It’s like Dallas at the Elysée,” one opposition politician said. With Trierweiler by his side, will this “soap opera” last through Hollande’s whole term?
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: which party are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?