Iconic Photos

Mitterand’s wife Danielle stands on the far left, his mistress Anne Pingeot(second from right) and illegitimate daughter Mazarine (third from right)

Anne and Mazarine

François Mitterrand served as the President of France from 1981 to 1995, the first left-wing head of state since 1957 and the only member of the Socialist Party to be elected as the President of France. He also holds the record of the longest-serving (almost 14 years) President of France.

At President Francois Mitterand’s funeral in 1996, his wife and his long term mistress stood side-by-side at the grave, accompanied by their respective legitimate and illegitimate children . Although the press made no comment, the existence of his illegitimate daughter Mazarine was revealed by the popular magazine Paris-Match in 1994, just months before he left office. Mitterrand concealed the fact for years.

For more details on sex life of French politicians, see Sexus Politicus (Dubois, Deloire), which premise is that in France, a successful politician is also a seductive politician. Prime Minister Edgar Faure mused when he gained the lofty title of “president of the Council,” “When I was a minister, some women resisted me. Once I became president, not even one.” President from 1895 to 1899, Félix Faure, who was not related, died in the bed of his mistress.

De Gaulle was the only post-World War II French leader to maintain a strict military discipline over his personal life. Giscard d’Estaing claimed he had as many mistresses as the salons of Paris, and noted, “When I was president of the republic, I was in love with 17 million French women. When I saw them in the crowd, they felt it and then they voted for me.”