A Royal Flush

France's Royal splits from partner.
Defeated French Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal has split from her partner, party leader Francois Hollande, accusing him in a new book of having an affair.

"I have asked Francois Hollande to leave our home, to pursue his love interest which is now laid out in books and newspapers and I wish him happiness," Royal said in an interview for the book to be published Wednesday.

Excerpts were released as Socialists celebrated a better-than-expected performance in France's parliamentary elections on Sunday.

Speculation about the couple has been rife for months.

Royal did not name the other woman in Hollande's life but said she and the Socialist leader "remain on good terms. We talk to each other. There is mutual respect."

Royal asked that Hollande no longer be described as her "partner" because, she said: "That is no longer the case."