Few jobs come with a palace, a nuclear button, and a tabloid storyline attached to the president’s marriage. If you landed here because a headline about France’s president and his wife, Brigitte, made you double-check, you’re not the only one.
Current President: Emmanuel Macron ·
Term Length: 5 years (since 2002) ·
Inauguration Date: 14 May 2017 (first term); 7 May 2022 (second term) ·
Previous President: François Hollande ·
Number of Terms Allowed: Two consecutive
Quick snapshot
- The President of France is elected for five years by direct universal suffrage (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- A president cannot serve more than two consecutive terms (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- Emmanuel Macron was re-elected on 24 April 2022 (Élysée (official presidential site)).
- Whether Brigitte Macron wears wigs — a recurring myth with no credible evidence.
- Exact private details of how the Macron relationship developed before marriage.
- How the couple organizes family life behind closed doors — not part of the official record.
- 6 April 2016 — Macron launches the En Marche! movement (Élysée (official presidential site)).
- 7 May 2017 — He wins the presidential election with 66.10% of the second-round vote (France Archives (national archives)).
- 7 May 2022 — He is sworn in for a second term (Élysée (inauguration coverage)).
- The current term runs on a five-year clock set by the Constitution (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- The two-term limit rules out a third consecutive Macron term. (Légifrance (France’s official legal database))
- The next presidential election falls in the 2027 electoral cycle. (Légifrance (France’s official legal database))
The Macron story travels far beyond France — and separating the official record from the viral versions takes a little digging. The sources below are the ones France itself uses.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron |
| Date of Birth | 21 December 1977 |
| Spouse | Brigitte Macron (born 13 April 1953) |
| Children | None biological; three stepchildren |
| First Inauguration | 14 May 2017 |
| Second Inauguration | 7 May 2022 |
Who is Emmanuel Macron’s wife?
Brigitte Macron — born Brigitte Trogneux on 13 April 1953 — is the president’s wife and France’s First Lady. The couple married in 2007, after a relationship that began in Amiens, where Macron was a teenager and she was his high school teacher. The age difference — 24 years, with Brigitte as the senior partner — has been part of the public conversation ever since.
- She was his high school teacher when they met; he was 15, she was 39.
- The couple married in 2007; the age gap is 24 years.
- Macron calls the relationship “a love story” — his own description in a 2017 interview.
The detailed family data — ages, the 2007 wedding, and the stepchildren — is laid out in Emmanuel Macron: Age, Wife, Children, and Term Limits.
Did the French president marry his teacher?
- Yes. Brigitte Trogneux taught at the high school Macron attended in Amiens.
- The marriage took place in 2007, long after she had left the classroom and he had left school.
In French public debate, the teacher–student origin gets simplified. What the record shows is an age gap of 24 years and a wedding in 2007 — not a scandal, but a biographical fact that campaigns have had to answer for repeatedly.
How old was Macron when he and Brigitte met?
- He was 15.
- She was 39 at the time, given the same 24-year age difference that both biographies acknowledge.
The meeting age is part of why the story keeps circulating: a 15-year-old student and a 39-year-old teacher is an unusual origin for a presidential marriage.
Why does the age difference draw so much attention?
- The gap reverses the more common headline pattern: the older partner is the woman.
- Macron has framed the relationship as a deliberate, long commitment — which turns a tabloid detail into a statement about personal stability.
A 24-year age difference with the woman as the senior partner is rare among modern heads of state. The couple’s own explanation — “a love story” — remains the only first-hand account, which is why the tabloid version keeps competing with it.
Who is the new president in France?
The answer in one line: the current president of France is Emmanuel Macron. He was re-elected on 24 April 2022 and sworn in for a second term on 7 May 2022 (Élysée (inauguration coverage)).
- Previous president: François Hollande, whom Macron succeeded in 2017.
- Election formula: direct universal suffrage, five-year term, two-consecutive-term limit (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- Macron entered office at 39, becoming the youngest president in French history (France Archives (national archives)).
Who was the previous president?
- François Hollande was the president before Macron, leaving office in 2017.
- Macron’s 2017 runoff win — 66.10% of the vote — ended Hollande’s mandate and started the current era (France Archives (national archives)).
How is the president elected?
- By direct universal suffrage, for a five-year term (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- No president may serve more than two consecutive terms (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- If no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round, the top two face a runoff in the second round.
The practical consequence: French presidential elections are national votes with a very public calendar, and the 2017 and 2022 cycles both ended in runoffs. What this means: searches for “the new president” mostly come from people who missed the 2022 result — and the stable answer runs until the 2027 election cycle, when the two-term limit takes Macron off the ballot.
Does Emmanuel Macron have his own biological children?
No. Emmanuel Macron has no biological children. Brigitte Macron has three children from a previous marriage, and Macron is their stepfather.
Did Brigitte Macron give birth to her children?
- Yes — Brigitte’s three children were born during her previous marriage, well before her wedding to Macron.
- Macron’s role in the family is stepfather, not father.
The family structure is simple on paper and constantly misdescribed online; there is no hidden first family, and no biological children of the president are part of the official story. The catch: family questions about a president are rarely just personal — in Macron’s case, the blended family is often used to suggest secrecy, but the verified record is short, consistent, and public.
Does Brigitte Macron wear wigs?
No credible evidence supports the wig claim. It is a social-media myth that resurfaces in comment sections and translated tabloid headlines, built entirely from photos and impressions rather than documentation.
- The rumor has no confirmed origin and no verified documentation.
- Brigitte Macron appears in official footage and French press coverage with a consistent hairstyle; no evidence of a wig has been shown.
The wig question looks like a harmless style question, but its effect is political: it turns a woman’s appearance into a suspicious object and invites readers to doubt what they see. None of the verification that would support such a claim has ever been produced.
The distinction that matters is that “not confirmed” is not “impossible” — but this claim does not even have a credible starting point. The implication: every election cycle brings a new version of this rumor, and for a First Lady already targeted by age-based commentary, the wig myth says her public image is artificial — the record says otherwise.
How long is the term of the President of France?
The term of the President of France is five years, but that has not always been true. Until a constitutional reform adopted by referendum on 24 September 2000, the term was seven years (Élysée (presidency explainer)).
- Five-year term, elected by direct universal suffrage (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- Maximum of two consecutive terms (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- The term begins at inauguration; the second term began on 7 May 2022 (Élysée (inauguration coverage)).
What are the official duties of the French president?
- The president is the head of state under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic.
- The Élysée’s own explainer frames the office around four questions, starting with the five-year term and the 2000 reform (Élysée (presidency explainer)).
In practice, the president’s clout depends on the parliamentary majority. A president with a supportive National Assembly can push legislation; one facing an opposition majority must govern alongside a prime minister from the other camp.
Can the president be impeached?
- The Constitution includes a removal procedure, but it is a legal mechanism, not a vote of no confidence.
- The rules sit in the same constitutional text that Légifrance publishes — the text that sets the five-year term and the two-term cap (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
The external comparison helps: the U.S. presidency runs on a four-year term with a two-term limit, and readers who know that system will recognize the logic of a fixed constitutional schedule in France. For context on another presidency with term-limit drama, see Ronald Reagan: Presidency, Assassination Attempt, and Quotes. The mechanism differs, but the underlying question — what a term is for, and why it ends — is the same. The pattern: the two-term cap makes Macron’s 2027 exit a fixed fact, so the campaign question is not “will he stay?” but “who comes next?”
Timeline: Macron’s road to the Élysée
Six milestones trace the arc from a provincial childhood to a second presidential term.
- 1977 — Emmanuel Macron is born in Amiens, in the Somme department (Élysée (official presidential site)).
- 2007 — He marries Brigitte Trogneux.
- 6 April 2016 — He launches the En Marche! movement (Élysée (official presidential site)).
- 7 May 2017 — He wins the presidency, entering office at 39 as the youngest president in French history (France Archives (national archives)).
- 24 April 2022 — The Constitutional Council announces the election results; Macron is re-elected (Élysée (inauguration coverage)).
- 7 May 2022 — He is sworn in for his second term (Élysée (inauguration coverage)).
The rhythm: each milestone follows the constitutional clock — a vote in the spring, a swift transfer, and then five years of governing before the next test.
Confirmed vs. unclear: what the record shows
The Macron file splits into two stacks: facts that French institutions verify, and questions that keep circling without evidence.
Confirmed
- Macron is the current president, re-elected on 24 April 2022 (Élysée (official presidential site)).
- The presidential term is five years after the 2000 reform (Élysée (presidency explainer)).
- Two consecutive terms maximum (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
- Youngest president in French history at 39, with 66.10% in the 2017 runoff (France Archives (national archives)).
Unclear
- Whether Brigitte Macron wears wigs — no credible evidence exists.
- How the Macron relationship developed in private before 2007.
- The origin of the wig rumor; no verified source has been identified.
- How the family organizes private life — the official record does not cover it.
The balance is the story: the core facts about Macron’s presidency are publicly documented by French institutions. The mysteries are mostly online inventions or private matters that the public was never entitled to verify.
In their own words
Two voices frame the record — one personal, one institutional.
“It’s a love story.”
— Emmanuel Macron, describing his marriage to Brigitte in a 2017 interview
“Eighth President of the Fifth Republic.”
— Official introduction of Emmanuel Macron, Élysée (official presidential site)
“Youngest president in French history, entering office at age 39.”
— France Archives (national archives)
The personal and the institutional are both on the record — and that is exactly where the reliable versions of the Macron story live.
The takeaway
The next presidential election in 2027 is already the deadline shaping French politics. Macron cannot run for a third consecutive term, so the race will open with an unusual prize: no incumbent on the ballot. For French voters, the implication is clear — the debate is about who inherits the Élysée, not whether the current president stays. For readers outside France, the choice is clear: trust the constitutional record for the facts, or let the rumor cycle keep rewriting the story.
vie-publique.fr, elysee.fr, elysee.fr, elysee.fr, legifrance.gouv.fr, britannica.com, en.wikipedia.org, dna.fr
Frequently asked questions
What are the election rules for the French president?
The president is elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. If no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round, the top two candidates face a runoff. The rules are set in the French Constitution, published by Légifrance (France’s official legal database).
Has the five-year term always been the rule?
No. The term was seven years before a constitutional reform adopted by referendum on 24 September 2000 (Élysée (presidency explainer)).
Can a French president serve more than two terms?
No. A president can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms (Légifrance (France’s official legal database)).
Who was the youngest president of France?
Emmanuel Macron. He took office in 2017 at age 39 (France Archives (national archives)).
How many presidents has the Fifth Republic had?
Eight. Emmanuel Macron is the eighth President of the Fifth Republic (Élysée (official presidential site)).
What happened in the 2022 presidential election?
The Constitutional Council announced the official results on 24 April 2022, confirming Emmanuel Macron’s re-election. He was inaugurated for a second term on 7 May 2022 (Élysée (inauguration coverage)).
The short version: five-year terms, a two-term cap, and a presidency whose facts are easier to verify than its rumors.
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Daniel Campbell is Editor-in-Chief at True North Brief, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.