Paris: The most unpredictable French presidential election in decades has taken another bizarre turn after Emmanuel Macron, the leading candidate who is married to his former high school teacher, was forced to deny a gay extramarital affair.
The centrist took the lead in the opinion polls two weeks ago after his conservative rival, Francois Fillon, became embroiled in a scandal centring on alleged misuse of public funds to pay his British wife for a job for which she allegedly did no work.
More World News Videos
- Video duration
- 01:17
A 'hologram' for France
A 'hologram' for France
Far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon embraced technology during the launch of his presidential campaign at a rally in Lyon, with a 3D 'hologram' of him making his speech appearing at the same time at another rally in Paris.
Up Next
Pope critisises Myanmar's treatment of Muslims
- Video duration
- 00:44
- Video duration
- 00:44
Pope critisises Myanmar's treatment of ...
Pope critisises Myanmar's treatment of Muslims
Pope Francis issued strong defence of the Myanmar's Rohingya minority saying they had been tortured and killed because they wanted to live their Muslim faith.
Up Next
Philippines fire leaves thousands homeless
- Video duration
- 00:33
- Video duration
- 00:33
Philippines fire leaves thousands ...
Philippines fire leaves thousands homeless
A huge blaze in a shanty town in Manilla leaves 15,000 people homeless only a week after another blaze left at least a 100 people injured in the Philippines capital.
Up Next
Jeff Sessions confirmed as next U.S. Attorney General
- Video duration
- 00:00
- Video duration
- 00:00
Jeff Sessions confirmed as next U.S. ...
Jeff Sessions confirmed as next U.S. Attorney General
The U.S. Senate votes to confirm Republican Senator Jeff Sessions as the next attorney general of the United States.
Up Next
Travel ban could reach Supreme Court
- Video duration
- 00:53
- Video duration
- 00:53
Travel ban could reach Supreme Court
Travel ban could reach Supreme Court
President Donald Trump says the court fight over his refugee and immigration executive order could end up in the Supreme Court.
Up Next
Trump accuses courts of being 'so political'
- Video duration
- 03:37
- Video duration
- 03:37
Trump accuses courts of being 'so ...
Trump accuses courts of being 'so political'
Donald Trump reads to US police chiefs the portion of law he says supports his immigration ban, and takes a swipe at the legal process which has halted it.
Up Next
Jimmy Carter backs renewable energy to create jobs
- Video duration
- 00:50
- Video duration
- 00:50
Jimmy Carter backs renewable energy to ...
Jimmy Carter backs renewable energy to create jobs
Former US President says millions of jobs could be created if President Donald Trump embraces renewable energy sources.
Up Next
Intel announces $7 billion investment in Arizona
- Video duration
- 01:05
- Video duration
- 01:05
Intel announces $7 billion investment in ...
Intel announces $7 billion investment in Arizona
President Trump held up Intel's plan to invest more than $7 billion in an Arizona factory as a win for his economic agenda. The mayor of Chandler simply calls it a win for his city where the plant is expected to generate thousands of jobs.
A 'hologram' for France
Far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon embraced technology during the launch of his presidential campaign at a rally in Lyon, with a 3D 'hologram' of him making his speech appearing at the same time at another rally in Paris.
Mr Macron unexpectedly turned up on Monday at a local Paris meeting of activists from his En Marche (On the Move) movement and laughed off the persistent rumours of a homosexual relationship with Mathieu Gallet, a Radio France chief executive.
"If you're told I lead a double life with Mr Gallet it's because my hologram has escaped," he said, in a reference to a rival candidate making an appearance as a hologram at a rally last weekend.
Related Content
A spokesman for the former investment banker - whose wife Brigitte Trogneux, a former French school teacher, is 24 years his senior - said the comments were "a clear denial of the rumours about his private life".
The couple have regularly featured in France's celebrity and lifestyle magazines since the telegenic Mr Macron, 39, resigned as economy minister from the Socialist government last northern summer to launch his bid for the presidency.
Mr Macron has previously dismissed claims he is homosexual, but his latest comments may have been caused by a report in the Russian government-controlled news site Sputnik in which a French MP from Mr Fillon's Republicans party said he was backed by a "gay lobby".
Opinion polls put Mr Macron ahead of Mr Fillon in the first round of the election, to be held in April, but only by a few percentage points, and behind Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front.
Only the top two candidates go through to a second round on May 7.
Telegraph, UK