- Title: France's Macron dismisses talk of gay extra-marital relationship
- Date: 7th February 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - NOVEMBER 21, 2015) (REUTERS) MACRON WALKING THROUGH SQUARE WITH HIS WIFE, BRIGITTE TROGNEUX, AND THEN GERMAN VICE-CHANCELLOR, SIGMAR GABRIEL GABRIEL AND MACRON LIGHTING CANDLES TROGNEUX AND MACRON
- Embargoed: 21st February 2017 12:01
- Keywords: Macron rumour gay sexuality affair Trogneux Gallet France election wife
- Location: PARIS AND MONTPELLIER, FRANCE
- City: PARIS AND MONTPELLIER, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00462IU98N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING
Emmanuel Macron, the independent centrist who is favourite to win the French presidential election, on Monday (February 6) dismissed rumours that he has a gay relationship outside his marriage to Brigitte Trogneux.
In comments made during a surprise appearance at a political meeting in Paris, Macron brushed off rumours he was in a relationship with Radio France chief executive Mathieu Gallet. Talk of an affair has circulated for years and was recently picked up by Russian media.
"For those who want to spread the rumour that I'm deceitful, that I have hidden lives and what have you, not only is it unpleasant for Brigitte, but I promise that as from morning to night she shares my whole life with me, she's wondering how I could physically do it," he said.
"Fortunately I've never paid her for it," he added in what appeared to be a dig at one of his opponents, Francois Fillon, whose campaign has been hit by allegations his wife was paid for work she did not do.
A spokeswoman described Macron's comments as a clear denial of the rumours.
French media is traditionally wary of reporting about the private lives of public figures but, on Tuesday (February 7), Le Parisien newspaper carried a story about Macron's rebuttal.
As a 16 year-old, according to a profile in Le Monde, Macron fell in love with his teacher, Trogneux, a mother of three then in her mid thirties. They were married in 2007.
Opinion polls show Macron contesting the second round of the presidential polls with Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, and winning it with a majority of about two-thirds. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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