France's premieres dames

Emmanuel Macron aims to formalize the role of first lady, saying his wife "will have a voice there." Brigitte Macron, his former drama teacher and 24 years his senior, has always been a strong influence. She left her first husband to support the ambitious Macron, edited his speeches during the campaign and managed his stage presence. Originally from Amiens, she comes from a family of chocolatiers.

When outgoing President Francois Hollande was elected in 2012, he celebrated with his partner Valerie Trierweiler (at left). In addition to her busy life as a journalist and talk show host, she took on the duties as France's first lady - until celebrity magazine "Closer" exposed Hollande's secret trysts with actress Julie Gayet (right) in 2014. Trierweiler has since published a tell-all memoir.

Carla Bruni, the wife of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, is a native of Italy. She first rose to fame as a model for many of the world's top fashion designers but later shifted her focus to music, finding success with her debut album, "Quelqu'un m'a dit," in 2002. She married Sarkozy in 2008, but largely stayed out of the political spotlight. At 49, she remains a style icon to this day.

As first lady from 1995 to 2007, Bernadette Chirac was influential in her husband's success. But she also pursued her own political career. In 1971, she was elected to the municipal council in her home of Sarran, in the Correze constituency. Since 1979, she has served on the departmental council. She also heads up several charities, including Pieces Jaunes, helping children in French hospitals.

France's first Socialist first lady once said "there is no traditional role" for a president's wife. And Danielle Mitterrand (right) was proof. Rather than stay on the sidelines like her predecessors, the outspoken Mitterrand supported many left-leaning causes worldwide, from the Zapatistas in Mexico (above) to ethnic minorities such as Kurds and Tibetans, and opposed out-of-control capitalism.

Unlike Mitterrand, Claude Pompidou (in white) - first lady from 1969 to 1974 - preferred to stay out of the spotlight, away from the pressures of political life. But she was committed to philanthropy, and set up a foundation to help disabled children, hospital patients and the elderly. And without her, the famed Pompidou Center and its modern art collection would never have seen the light of day.

The wife of the famous General Charles de Gaulle was a fervent Catholic, known as Tante (Aunt) Yvonne for her devotion to family and opposition to prostitution, divorce - and the miniskirt, which she hoped de Gaulle would ban in 1960s France (to no avail). But she was also praised for her cool head in the face of danger, when the couple survived an assassination attempt by machine gun in 1962.

First lady from 1887 to 1894, Cecile Carnot was very involved with life at the Elysee Palace. During her time there, the first couple undertook - and paid for - the electrification of the palace. She organized lavish balls and garden parties, and introduced the Elysee Christmas party for children of Elysee staff and other children in need, a tradition which continues to this day.