Ralf Schumacher, former F1 driver and brother to renownedMichael Schumacher, is back in the headlines following news of hisengagementto partner Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne. But who exactly is this elusive partner, and what do we know about him?
On 10 February, Ralf Schumacher and Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne confirmed their plans to marry. The former Formula 1 driver, 50, shared the news in a jointInstagrampost featuring a photograph of the pair smiling and clinking glasses.
The accompanying statement read, 'We are pleased to confirm that Ralf Schumacher and hispartner Étienne Bousquet-Cassagnewill be getting married. Both are delighted by the many kind congratulations they have received.' The statement continued, 'Ralf and Étienne will not comment on any further personal details and kindly ask that their privacy be respected. Thank you for your understanding.'
Schumacher publicly came out as gay in July 2024. At the time, he posted a photograph of the couple watching a sunset from a boat and wrote, 'The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything.' His son, David Schumacher, publicly expressed support in the comments. David wrote, 'I am very happy that you have finally found someone with whom you really feel very comfortable and secure, no matter if you are a man or a woman, I am 100% behind you dad and wish you all the best and congratulations.'
Ralf shares David, 24, with his former wife Cora Schumacher. The couple married in 2001 and finalised their divorce in 2015. Cora later said, 'Steven and I wish Ralf and Étienne all the best and much happiness,' and indicated that a three-day wedding in Saint-Tropez in May is being considered.
A post shared by Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne (@etienne_bousquet)
Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne was born on 22 September 1989 in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, France, and is a former National Front figure whose career spanned more than a decade before he left politics in 2020. He is the son of trade unionist farmer Serge Bousquet-Cassagne and was educated in Bordeaux, where he obtained a baccalaureate in economics and social sciences.
He later completed a BTS in negotiation and customer relations. In 2007, at the age of 18, he joined the National Front, the party later renamed the National Rally in 2018. By 2011, he had become departmental secretary for Lot-et-Garonne and stood as a candidate in the cantonal elections of Tonneins.
He continued to contest elections in the region over the following years. In 2012, he ran in the legislative elections for the second constituency of Lot-et-Garonne but was defeated in the first round. In 2013, he stood in a by-election for the third constituency of Lot-et-Garonne and reached the second round before losing to Jean-Louis Costes, who secured 53.76 per cent of the vote against his 46.24 per cent.
He again reached the second round in the 2017 legislative election for the same constituency but lost to Olivier Damaisin, who won 60.43 per cent against 39.57 per cent. Bousquet-Cassagne also served as a municipal councillor in Villeneuve-sur-Lot from 30 March 2014 and later held the position of regional councillor for Nouvelle-Aquitaine from 1 January 2016. He worked as a parliamentary assistant to Steeve Briois and was lead candidate for Lot-et-Garonne in the November 2015 regional elections.
Source: International Business Times UK
