More and more French people are separating and re-entering a relationship after 50 years, shows a recently published INED study.

"People over 50 today assume their desire to be happy, in love and sexually active", explains researcher Anne Solaz, guest of Europe 1 on Friday. 

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Break-ups and reunions have become more and more frequent over the past decades.

The phenomenon does not spare any age group, reveals a study just published by INED, focusing on the marital trajectories of over 50s.

"Today, a quarter of fifty-year-olds have had two unions at the age of 50. With their parents, this figure was 10%," said Anne Solaz, the researcher behind the study, invited to Europe 1 on Friday .

"People over 50 accept their desire to be happy"

"The trajectories of fifty-year-olds are much more varied than in the past. They are also more likely to experience break-ups and re-pair afterwards", explains the researcher.

Having become common, divorce is no longer stigmatizing for those over 50.

In fact, more and more of them are using it.

"The positive side is that it shows that they no longer plan to stay in a marital relationship that does not satisfy them. People over 50 now accept their desire to be happy, in love and sexually active. . "

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Later repartnering is also becoming more widespread.

However, there are several disparities between men and women.

"At 50, it is estimated that there are as many women as men available. By contrast, at 75, there are three women for a man."

Two factors explain this observation.

First, the disparity in life expectancy between men and women: there are today in France more widows than widowers.

Then, the fact that men more often re-couple than women with younger partners. 

Desires different from during a first relationship

The study also specifies that 50-year-olds look for something significantly different during a re-union than during a first marital relationship.

"For example, they are not necessarily eager to live together, preferring other forms of married life. Sharing leisure activities, having sex, a bond, all without the routine tasks."

Following the trend, many dating sites dedicated to seniors have emerged in recent years.