Broadcaster claims ‘misogynistic’ critics labelled him Emmanuel Macron’s ‘secret gay lover’ in ‘smear campaign’ before 2017 election because they didn’t believe politician, 44, could really love wife Brigitte, 69
- Mathieu Gallet, 45, was rumoured to be Emmanuel Macron’s lover in 2016
- Then, Macron was an unknown politician emerging as a presidential candidate
- Gallet has spoken about how he was the subject of dinner party gossip
- Claims Macron’s rivals wrongly thought they could discredit the president
A gay French broadcaster who was caught up in unfounded rumours that he was Emmanuel Macron’s secret lover has spoken for the first time about the scandal, branding it ‘detestable’.
Mathieu Gallet, 45, was chairman of state broadcaster Radio France when whispers first started circulating in late 2016 that he was seeing Macron, then an unknown former adviser to François Hollande who was emerging as a serious presidential candidate.
Macron, 44, has been married to Brigitte Macron, 69, since 2007. Mrs Macron is said to have been left angry and upset about the rumours of her husband’s infidelity.
Mathieu Gallet, 45, pictured, was chairman of state broadcaster Radio France when whispers first started circulating in late 2016 that he was seeing Macron, then an unknown former adviser to François Hollande who was emerging as a serious presidential candidate
Macron, 44, has been married to Brigitte Macron, 69, since 2007. Mrs Macron is said to have been left angry and upset about the rumours of her husband’s infidelity. Pictured, in February
Gallet, who at the time was in a relationship with a 20-year-old student, said he believes the rumours were rooted in misogyny and a desire to discredit Macron – whom he had only met a handful of times – as a presidential candidate.
‘[The plotters said to themselves, “A heterosexual man cannot have a true relationship with a woman 24 years older than him, and therefore it means he is gay”. It is an idea based in absolute misogyny,’ he told The Times.
He also claims there were homophobic undertones.
‘Those who created this rumour said to themselves that French society would say, “No, we cannot elect a gay president or a closet gay president,” and that people would think to themselves, “If he hides things about his private life, he is going to hide things from the nation.”‘
Gallet believes the rumours were an attempt to discredit the married presidential candidate. In reality the public were nonplussed by the rumours and elected Macron anyway. Pictured, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron share a kiss following the election in 2017
In reality the public were nonplussed by the rumours and elected Macron anyway.
For his part, Gallet was targeted by foreign paparazzi, went viral on social media, and became the subject of endless dinner party gossip, although strict privacy laws imposed on French media meant the story stayed largely out of local press.
Gallet, who has written about the scandal in a new book, Jeux de pouvoir (Power Games), lost his job shortly after Macron was elected after being found to have broken a procurement law.
He now works as the head of a podcast startup.
Meanwhile Macron was elected for a second term as president in April.
Macron was elected for a second term as president in April, pictured with his wife following the win
Two weeks ago Mr Macron – who was fiercely opposed to Brexit – invited Britain to join a new ‘European political community’ outside the EU.
The French president said this new status would allow the UK to enjoy full political integration within the 27-country bloc, and have a say in crucial decisions.
In a keynote speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Macron said he was all in favour of ‘creating what I would call a European political community.
‘This new European organisation would allow democratic European nations adhering to our core values to find a new space for political cooperation, and security.
‘Joining it would not prejudge future membership of the European Union, and it would not be closed to those who have left the latter’.
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