法國總統薩科奇離婚
"Desperate Housewives". French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia have divorced.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia have divorced, the president's office said on Thursday, ending rampant speculation about the state of their 11-year old marriage.
Sarkozy's spokesman announced earlier in the day that the pair were separating, but hours later clarified the statement to make clear they had "divorced by mutual consent."
The couple's lawyer said they had already seen a judge to formalize the split and agreed financial terms.
"There was no problem, they resolved everything amicably," lawyer Michele Cahen said.
It was the first time in modern French history that a serving president has divorced his wife.
Cecilia played a crucial role in his rise to power, serving as an adviser during his previous stints as interior and finance minister. Sarkozy told his aides that Cecilia was "the only non-negotiable part" of his career.
Cecilia Sarkozy has been increasingly absent from her husband's side since he came to power in May.
Rumors about the marriage intensified this week after a presidential spokesman said Cecilia Sarkozy would skip a state visit to Morocco next week.
Cecilia Sarkozy was a smiling figure at her husband's inauguration in May as she stood with the children. But she has since said the role of a first lady was not something she was comfortable with, and recently, she said she didn't see herself as having any role at all.
"Desperate housewife," Liberation daily said in a headline.
The Sarkozy's relationship first hit the rocks in 2005, when they both had affairs and briefly lived apart.
法國總統辦公室於本週四宣佈，總統尼古拉斯•薩科奇已與妻子塞西莉亞正式離婚，結束了他們維持11年的婚姻。至此，關於他們婚姻狀況的種種猜測終於可以偃旗息鼓了。
薩科奇總統的發言人於當天早些時候發表聲明稱，薩科奇總統已與妻子塞西莉亞分居。但幾小時後，又澄清了之前發佈的消息，稱他們已“協議離婚”。
據薩科奇夫婦的律師介紹，薩科奇與塞西莉亞已在法官的見證下辦理完離婚手續，並就財產分割問題達成了協議。
米歇爾•卡亨律師說：“整個過程很順利，他們友好地解決了一切問題。”
薩科奇是法國近代歷史上首位在任期內離婚的總統。
塞西莉亞在薩科奇攀登法國政壇高峯的道路上起了關鍵性作用。她曾在薩科奇任內政和財政部長期間擔任他的顧問。薩科奇曾對他的助手說塞西莉亞是他“唯一搞不定”的人。
自從薩科奇今年五月當選法國總統以來，塞西莉亞就很少出現在他的身邊。
一位總統發言人於本週透露，塞西莉亞將缺席薩科奇下週對摩洛哥的國事訪問。這一消息傳開後，有關薩科奇夫婦婚變的傳聞愈演越烈。
今年五月，塞西莉亞笑容可掬地與孩子們一同出現在薩科奇的總統就職儀式上。但之後，她說自己並不喜歡第一夫人這個角色。近日，她又說自己這個“第一夫人”根本就是個擺設。
《解放日報》在一篇報道的標題中稱塞西莉亞爲“絕望主婦”。
2005年，薩科奇與塞西莉亞的婚姻出現裂痕，當時他倆都有了外遇，並分居了一小段時間。
live apart:分居
