Why French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Marriage Ended in Divorce

Why French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Marriage Ended in Divorce

When French President Nicolas Sarkozy attended a Bush family barbeque in Kennebunkport this summer he brought with him his wife Cecilia's regrets. Her excuse was a sore throat, which some saw as a deliberate snub of her would-be hosts, the American president and his father.

On Nov. 6, Bush is scheduled to host a White House dinner for Sarkozy, and again Cecilia will not be present. This time, though, there is no doubting the reason: The Sarkozys were divorced last Thursday.

The breakup came after five months in which Sarkozy's wife clearly had problems fitting into her new role as France's first lady. She continued to live in their family home in the Paris suburb of Neuilly in preference to moving into the Elysee Palace (the French White House) with her husband. She was a no-show at many of his important engagements, and complained about her fishbowl existence.

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