Their relationship survived his political rise, her appointment as editor of the French Huffington Post, and of course, the scandal of his alleged infidelities in a New York hotel room.
But the romantic coupling of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Anne Sinclair appears to be no more.
The French Jewish power couple are understood to have separated, with Ms Sinclair telling Le Parisien that she was "doing very well".
Asked how she was faring after the split, she said: "I'm in good form, I've been on holiday, I'm working hard, I'm focusing on the American elections."
Mr Strauss-Kahn, who lost his position as chief of the International Monetary Fund in May 2011 after a hotel maid accused him of assaulting her, was once tipped as the next French president for the Socialist Party.
Instead he had to watch as his rival, Francois Hollande, campaigned for and won the election earlier this year.
Although the case in New York collapsed over "substantial credibility issues", a civil suit is ongoing and he is currently under investigation in France over his alleged connection to a prostitution ring.
Filming is also set to begin on an as-yet-untitled film biopic in New York starring Gerard Depardieu, being made by Abel Ferrara, the director of the film Bad Lieutenant. French actress Isabelle Adjani, who has been chosen to play Ms Sinclair, said the director would "go where it hurts".
"With him, there's no risk of political correctness," she said.
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