In a French election subplot, prominent Socialist Segolene Royal – the mother of Francois Hollande’s four children and the runner-up to Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential vote – lost her race in western France and her bid to become Parliament speaker.

President Francois Hollande’s partner has set the French political establishment aghast with a tweet seen as a dig against his ex-partner.

With a single tweet, France’s first lady has managed to take a swipe at her husband’s ex, put herself publicly at odds with the president, and thrown a spanner in the works of his Socialist party.