From the late 1970s, Royal was the partner of François Hollande, former President of France, whom she met at ENA. The couple had four children: Thomas (born 1984), Clémence (born 1985), Julien (born 1987) and Flora (born 1992). They were neither married (considering it too "bourgeois") nor bound by a PACS (pacte civil de solidarité, which provides for a civil union between two adults, regardless of gender), contrary to rumours. A news agency leaked news of their separation in June 2007, on the evening of the legislative election. According to the "Guardian", she had asked Hollande "to move out of the house" and pursue his new love interest "which has been detailed in books and newspapers" – a reference to a much-discussed chapter by journalists explaining how Hollande was having a long-term affair with a journalist.