French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Cecilia, are separating by mutual consent after nearly 11 years of marriage, his office said on Thursday.
The announcement ended weeks of speculation about troubles in their marriage and came as Sarkozy is facing the first major challenge of his five-month presidency: Crippling nationwide transportation strikes.
The three-line, 15-word statement did not mention the word divorce, and said the two would not comment on the separation. Sarkozy was in Portugal.
The Sarkozys separated for several months in 2005, getting back together as the presidential campaign moved into high gear. However, since then Cecilia Sarkozy has rarely appeared with her husband in public.
On Wednesday, the newsweekly Le Nouvel Observateur reported on its website that Sarkozy (52) and his wife (49) appeared before a judge and told him that they are seeking a legal separation. Rumours of the split has sparked debate over whether the constitution even allows them to divorce.
