薩科奇尋求連任 欲打懷孕牌

Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy are planning to have their first child together in 2011 to aid the French president's chances of clinching a second term the following year, a French magazine is speculating.

Rumours that France's first couple had set a precise date for starting a family were revealed by the popular weekly magazine Voici.

Mr Sarkozy, 54, has three children from two previous marriages, while his Italian-born former supermodel wife, 41, has one son from a previous relationship.

Quoting sources in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, Voici wrote: "The presidential couple are thought to have chosen to keep the 'pregnancy card' up their sleeve to ensure public sympathy ahead of the next presidential campaign in 2012. The rumour has been circulating for several weeks."

Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy has made no secret of the fact that the couple hope to have a child together. "I'm not pregnant and I regret it because I love it when I am. Will it happen? It's difficult for me to say. It's much more difficult at 40 than it is at 25," she said in an interview last year.

But neither she nor her husband has ever set a birth date.

In an interview in March, the first lady said she would consider adopting a child if it was not "biologically possible" to have one with her husband.

The pair were said to have come up with the new plan "some time ago" but became even more convinced that it was the right strategic choice since the "incredible public support" Mr Sarkozy received after falling ill and collapsing while jogging last month.

A poll published after his heath scare showed a 12 per cent rise among those who think he is succeeding as head of state.

Overall, 53 per cent of the French people believe Mr Sarkozy makes "a good president", compared to 41 per cent in May.

The arrival of a presidential newborn so soon before the next election, in which Mr Sarkozy is almost certain to run, could help him win vital votes, the magazine suggested.

據法國一家雜誌披露，法國總統尼古拉斯•薩科奇和夫人卡拉•布呂尼•薩科奇計劃於2011年生育他們的第一個孩子，爲他在2012年總統大選中尋求連任加分。

著名的週刊雜誌《Voici》稱，有消息透露法國第一夫婦已爲添丁制定了詳細的時間表。

現年54歲的薩科奇此前有過兩段婚姻，並生育有三個孩子，而出生自意大利的前名模布呂尼現年41歲，與前夫生育有一個兒子。

《Voici》雜誌寫道：“據稱，總統夫婦有意隱瞞“打懷孕牌”這一計劃，以便在2012年總統大選前博得人們的同情。這一傳聞已經流傳了好幾周。”該雜誌稱消息援引自法國國民議會（議會下院）。

布呂尼•薩科奇從不隱瞞他們想生一個孩子的願望。她去年在接受採訪時說：“我還沒有懷孕，對此我很遺憾，因爲我喜歡懷孕時的感覺。這會實現嗎？很難說，因爲40歲時懷孕可比25歲時難多了。”

但她和薩科奇都沒有確定的造人計劃。

布呂尼在今年三月接受採訪時稱，如果身體條件不允許再孕，她將考慮收養一名兒童。

據稱，總統夫婦在“一段時間以前”就想出了這一新計劃。薩科奇上月慢跑時突然昏厥後，支持率“不可思議地”上升，這使他們更加堅信產子計劃是個正確的戰略決策。

民調顯示，薩科奇昏厥後，他的連任支持率上升了12%。

共有53%的法國民衆認爲薩科奇“是個好總統”，而在今年五月他的支持率僅有41%。

該雜誌稱，總統家庭新成員在下屆大選前到來將爲薩科奇贏得關鍵性選票，而薩科奇本人也已基本決定參選。

vocabulary:

clinch: to succeed in achieving or winning sth（贏得，成功取得）

keep/have sthup ones' sleeves: 暗中有打算，心中有妙計

succeed: to follow or replace another by descent, election, appointment, etc.（接替；繼任）