As The World Turns, Part Two

Segolene Royal has lost her catfight, or whatever it was, with Valerie Trierweiler. As I mentioned yesterday, Royal was the long-time “companion” of France’s new president Francois Hollande, and the mother of his four children. An unsuccessful candidate for president in 2007, Royal ran for parliament this year with the expectation of becoming Speaker of the National Assembly.

But Hollande’s new “companion,” the journalist Valerie Trierweiler, tweeted an endorsement of Royal’s opponent. And when the votes were counted today, Royal had lost.

It’s been a tough five years for Royal. As noted, she lost to Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential elections. She then lost a bitter fight for the leadership of the Socialist Party the next year. And last year she was defeated by her former partner, Hollande, in the battle to the Socialist nominee for president.

Hollande tried to make it up to her by endorsing Royal for parliament; ordinarily, the president would not have become involved in a local race among Socialists. But Trierweiler was having none of it.

Royal isn’t taking her latest setback well. Asked whether Trierweiler’s message had contributed to her defeat, she responded: “It certainly did not help, to put it mildly.” She then cited Victor Hugo for the propostion that “traitors always pay for their treachery in the end.”

Meanwhile, Royal’s four children reportedly are no longer on speaking terms with their father’s new companion.

JOHN adds: John Edwards should move to France.

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