10 sex scandals that shook politics of nations, ended careers, toppled governments

The Jeffrey Epstein files are continuing to haunt US government. The Trump administration is trying to put the genie back in the bottle. The sex trafficking case of Epstein is the latest example of how the private lives of prominent people became fodder for political scandals, shaking and even toppling governments. Here is a look at 10 sex scandals involving some of the most powerful figures in recent political history

In 1998, the US was engulfed in a political scandal when the then-President Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky, a 22-year-old White House intern, was brought to the open. “I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” declared Clinton initially. But that didn't last as more revelations came in. Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice, but was acquitted by the Senate and remained in office. The sex scandal, however, polarised the country and led to Lewinsky being seen as the villain for several years, before she fought and gained back respect. Clinton’s presidency survived the scandal, but his legacy was marked by it.

Italian billionaire-turned Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi wasn't too shy about revealing his love for a good time. But a scandal broke out in 2009–2011 as more and more revelations came out about his 'Bunga Bunga parties' that featured young women, including an underage Moroccan nightclub dancer nicknamed Ruby the Heart Stealer (in picture). The scandal went all the way to court, and Berlusconi was charged with abuse of power and soliciting a minor. He had some of the convictions overturned, but his image was tarnished further in the scandal. It would be fair to say that Berlusconi's political winter started after the Bunga Bunga scandal.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former managing director of IMF, was seen as a strong contender for the president of France in 2011. But that year, he was arrested in New York after a hotel maid accused him of sexual assault. Soon, other women came up with accusations against Strauss-Kahn, essentially ending his political career. He managed to get the criminal charges dropped, but faced civil suits. Strauss-Kahn later admitted to 'moral failings' but his public image never recovered, having been hit by scandal at the peak of his game.

British politics was rocked in 1963 when it emerged that Secretary of State for War John Profumo had an affair with Christine Keeler, a 19-year-old model (in pictures). It got further complicated as it was revealed that Keeler was also involved with a Soviet naval attaché, making it a salacious Cold War-era sex and spying scandal. Questions were raised if the entanglement had compromised UK's national security. Profumo had to resign in disgrace after it was revealed that he had lied to Parliament about the affair. The Profumo scandal rocked the Conservative government at the time, which lost in the next election.

In 2011, Israel saw the sex scandal involving its highest office. Moshe Katsav was convicted of rape and sexual assault of multiple women on his staff when he was president and tourism minister. After a multi-year trial in which Katsav often denied any wrongdoing, the Israeli Supreme Court sentenced him to seven years in prison, the first instance in the history of Israel where a head of state was jailed. Katsav was released after five years in jail but his political legacy was forever tarnished.

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer was known as 'Mr Clean' for prosecuting financial crimes. But in 2008, a scandal broke out when it emerged that he had spent tens of thousands of dollars on escorts through an agency called the Emperors Club VIP. Spitzer had to resign immediately, in a dramatic fall for the rising Democratic star. Though Spitzer attempted a political comeback, he could never regain the stature he enjoyed earlier.

South Africa was rocked in 2006 when the then deptuty president Jacob Zuma was tried for allegedly raping a family friend. He was acquitted, but Zuma's image was tarnished in the eyes of a significant section of society, deeply polarising South Africa. Zuma eventually went on to become president, only to face even more scandals and allegations of corruption.

In 2014, French President François Hollande was seen going to meet his alleged lover Julie Gayet, an actress, on a motorcycle. The distraught First Lady Valérie Trierweiler was hospitalised, and went on to write a bitter memoir about the whole affair. The soap opera led to a further fall in Hollande’s already low approval ratings

In the late 1980s, Pamella Bordes, a former Miss India and model-photographer, was romantically linked to multiple high-profile men in the UK and Middle East including a Libyan arms dealer. Those who had dalliances with Pamela included Conservative MPs, Arab diplomats, and possibly even a foreign intelligence agent. The scandal was splashed across British tabloids. Pamela's links to men in political and diplomatic circles raised alarm about whether UK national security was compromised.

In 1987, Gary Hart was a US presidential frontrunner of the Democrats. On a whim, he dared reporters to follow him if they thought he was committing adultery, in response to some provocative questions from journalists covering his campaign. They did, and exposed the affair with a photo of him with model Donna Rice on a yacht named 'Monkey Business.' Within days, Hart’s presidential campaign collapsed. It could not recover in spite of trying a restart, practically ending Hart's career as a top-end Democrat.