A former French government minister is demanding £120,000 in damages over ‘salacious’ claims he had an extra-marital affair with First Lady Valerie Trierweiler.
Patrick Devedjian denies being one of Ms Trierweiler’s two lovers she was while still married nine years ago.
The allegations emerged in a biography of the First Lady called The Troublemaker, which says she was having affairs with both Devidjian and Francois Hollande while married to Denis Trierweiler in 2004.
President Hollande’s 47-year-old girlfriend also denies the claims and she too is suing the book’s authors.
Devidjian’s lawyer Dan Hazan said his married 68-year-old client - a minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy - was demanding damages for defaming his character.
Mr Hazan added: 'The authors transformed a salacious rumour into fact purely to boost sales.
'There is not a scrap of evidence that this supposed relationship existed.'
The book - by TV journalists Christophe Jakubyszyn and Alix Bouilhaguet - claims both Devidjian and Hollande knew they were ‘sharing’ Ms Trierweiler.
Ms Trierweiler is demanding £35,000 in damages for invasion of privacy and will launch a separate action for defamation at a later hearing.
When her case first came before a court in December, President Hollande was accused of abusing his position by personally writing to the judge to defend his live-in lover.
French President Francois Hollande and his partner Valerie Trierweiler. The accusations over her fidelity were made in a biography of the First Lady called The Troublemaker
In the hand-written letter, the president called the claims ‘pure fabrication’.
Miss Trierweiler is facing a separate bizarre legal action in France over claims the taxpayer should not be supporting her lifestyle as the ‘president’s mistress’.
Supermarket chain heir Xavier Kemlin launched the highly unusual criminal complaint in March, telling the French media: 'It's scandalous that our taxes are being used to house, feed, upkeep and pay for the staff and travel of a lady to whom we have no legal obligation.'Miss Trierweiler also recently sued a French magazine for publishing photos of her in her bikini while on holiday with Mr Hollande last summer - but was awarded only the ‘minimum’ £5,000 in damages.
Patrick Devedjian denies being one of Ms Trierweiler’s two lovers she was while still married nine years ago.
The allegations emerged in a biography of the First Lady called The Troublemaker, which says she was having affairs with both Devidjian and Francois Hollande while married to Denis Trierweiler in 2004.
President Hollande’s 47-year-old girlfriend also denies the claims and she too is suing the book’s authors.
Devidjian’s lawyer Dan Hazan said his married 68-year-old client - a minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy - was demanding damages for defaming his character.
Mr Hazan added: 'The authors transformed a salacious rumour into fact purely to boost sales.
'There is not a scrap of evidence that this supposed relationship existed.'
The book - by TV journalists Christophe Jakubyszyn and Alix Bouilhaguet - claims both Devidjian and Hollande knew they were ‘sharing’ Ms Trierweiler.
Ms Trierweiler is demanding £35,000 in damages for invasion of privacy and will launch a separate action for defamation at a later hearing.
When her case first came before a court in December, President Hollande was accused of abusing his position by personally writing to the judge to defend his live-in lover.
French President Francois Hollande and his partner Valerie Trierweiler. The accusations over her fidelity were made in a biography of the First Lady called The Troublemaker
In the hand-written letter, the president called the claims ‘pure fabrication’.
Miss Trierweiler is facing a separate bizarre legal action in France over claims the taxpayer should not be supporting her lifestyle as the ‘president’s mistress’.
Supermarket chain heir Xavier Kemlin launched the highly unusual criminal complaint in March, telling the French media: 'It's scandalous that our taxes are being used to house, feed, upkeep and pay for the staff and travel of a lady to whom we have no legal obligation.'Miss Trierweiler also recently sued a French magazine for publishing photos of her in her bikini while on holiday with Mr Hollande last summer - but was awarded only the ‘minimum’ £5,000 in damages.