French election shines a spotlight on an “unorthodox” marriage

If you’ve been watching or listening to the news in recent days, then you’d know France just had the first vote in its presidential election.

All eyes in the world are on the outcome.

But in all the discussion about immigration and other issues affecting the French people, there’s another thing that has people talking.

Front-runner in the election and winner of the first vote, Emmanuel Macron, has dominated headlines around the world – and it all comes down to what many are describing as his “unorthodox” marriage.

It turns out that Macron is actually married to a woman 25 years his senior, his former school teacher Brigitte Trogneux. That’s right, he is 39 and she is 64.

But despite their age difference, voters don’t seem to care – and both Macron and Trogneux have been up front and honest about their marriage throughout the campaign.

The Daily Mail reports that Macron told a French TV channel he wasn’t going to “hide” his wife.

“She’s here in my life, she has always been,’ he said.

Meanwhile, in a speech to supporters last month, Macron invited his wife onto the stage and kissed her.

“I owe her an enormous amount because she has contributed to make me the person I am,” he told supporters – according to the Daily Mail.

“If I’m elected – no, sorry, when we are elected – she will be there, with a role and a place.”

Their age difference is actually similar to that between Donald and Melania Trump, who have a 24 year age gap.

In France, it’s not uncommon for presidents to have scandalous love lives. Previous president Francoise Hollande was accused of having an affair with an actress, while his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy married a model 13 years his junior just months after divorcing his former wife.

What do you think about the age gap? Should it be a focus during the election campaign?