Hollande's former partner loses election bid

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.

Her rival was a breakaway Socialist Olivier Falorni who had drawn the support of Mr Hollande’s current companion, journalist Valerie Trierweiler.