“I hadn’t yet realised that I was no longer just a normal citizen,” Trierweiler said speaking to local paper Ouest France.

The tweet, originally sent three and a half months ago, and which Trierweiler has now admitted was a "mistake", was a message of support for Royal’s biggest rival in the La Rochelle local elections, Olivier Falorni.

“Good luck to Olivier Falorni, who has shown he deserves to win, and who has fought with the La Rochelle people for so many years with a selfless passion,” the tweet read.

“I am sorry [for that tweet],” said Trierweiler. “I was tactless, and it was then misinterpreted.

“It won’t happen again. Francois and I said to ourselves, these kinds of things are private, and so they will stay private.”

While apologetic for her online blunder, Trierweiler was still shocked at how much press attention it received, saying it was “disproportionate.”

“Certain journalists recognise they went too far now,” she added.

The President’s partner, a journalist herself, recently revealed she will be giving up a project on new channel, D8, but will keep her position as literary editor for magazine Paris Match.