MOSCOW, August 12 (RIA Novosti) - Francois Hollande, the president of France, marks his 60th birthday Tuesday.
The French leader decided to mark the milestone in the south of France with his children. He has been on vacation since August 4, first staying in the Lanterne retreat in Versailles.
Hollande is the second French leader to mark his 60th anniversary while holding office. However, he could be one of the least popular ones in history. According to CSA research, Hollande’s approval rating currently stands at 23 percent, which is slightly more than the January record low of 18 percent. Hollande faces vigorous criticism for failing to tackle France's economic problems. He, however, told the public during a televised Q&A series in May that he must be judged “at the end of … [the] mandate,” which will be in 2017.
In January, French tabloid Closer released an article about Hollande’s alleged relationship with actress Julie Gayet, 42, which triggered rumors about their potential marriage. Prior to the relationship, Hollande was for 30 years de facto married to fellow Socialist politician Segolene Royal, the incumbent French ecology, sustainable development and energy minister. The couple broke up in 2007, and the French president then revealed his relationship with political journalist Valerie Trierweiler. Hollande declared that they split up in January 2014.
