The Paris Traveler

What a Difference a Country Makes!

by Lynn on October 22nd, 2007

When you think about the recent divorce between French President Sarkozy and the former First Lady, things were definitely far from cosy, to say the least! What’s interesting, however, is the way the French perceive this marital seperation and the way the American public would react if an American president were to divorce his wife after only several months in office.

                                                                                                  First of all, I don’t think it would ever happen! What First Lady would decide to throw in the towel even if she was in the midst of some sort of Presidential scandal?! (Hmm, does Hillary ring a bell? As a matter of fact, the French never could understand what all the fuss was about with Bill and Monica!) Still there are countless First Ladies who have suffered silently while their husbands not only carried on affairs of state, but also affairs of the heart; John and Jackie Kennedy come to mind, as well as Danielle and François Mitterrand.

Recent polls show that 92% of the French still have the same opinion of Sarkozy (and why not!) and 79% said that the divorce is not an important event in French politics. It just goes to show that here in France, the French just want Sarkozy to run the country as he has promised and let his personal affairs take care of themselves in private.

Still I can’t help but think what a field day the news media in the U.S. would have had if it had happened with an American president! Especially with all the baggage Cécilia Sarkozy carries! I recently wrote a post about the death of Jacques Martin who was married to Cécilia before she became Mrs. Sarkozy. In case you didn’t read that post, according to legend, (Lol, yes I like to be dramatic!) when Sarkozy, who was mayor of Neuilly at the time, presided over the marriage of a very pregnant Cécilia to Jacques Martin; it was love at first sight for the future president! Twelve days after the marriage Cécilia gave birth to her first daughter and three years later to her second. While her second daughter was only six months old, Cécilia left Jacques Martin to be with Sarkozy.

Now is it only me, or does Cécilia seem to thrive on gossip? As she herself said when she commented on her seperation from her husband (Sarko) in 2005 and moved to New York to be with her lover, “In 2005, I met someone, I fell in love, I left.” Or how many wives would not vote for their husband while they’re running for some political election? In the run off elections for the presidency, Cécilia, for whatever reason, decided not to cast her vote! Or what about Cécilia’s excuse not to attend a picnic with President and Laura Bush because she wasn’t feeling well, but was spotted by photographers out with friends?

Although she would have been a very unpredictable First Lady, she definitely would have been a damn interesting one to say the least (!); sort of in the genre of Margaret Trudeau or Princess Diana. It’s just too bad that she didn’t stick around awhile longer!

Photo Credits: Google Images

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