Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy are planning to have their first child together in 2011 to aid the French president's chances of clinching² a second term the following year, a French magazine is speculating.

Rumours⁴ 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 'pregnancy⁵ card' up their sleeve to ensure public sympathy ahead of the next presidential campaign in 2012. The rumour³ 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 collapsing⁶ 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.

据法国一家杂志披露，法国总统尼古拉斯•萨科奇和夫人卡拉•布吕尼•萨科奇计划于2011年生育他们的第一个孩子，为他在2012年总统大选中寻求连任加分。

著名的周刊杂志《Voici》称，有消息透露法国第一夫妇已为添丁制定了详细的时间表。

现年54岁的萨科奇此前有过两段婚姻，并生育有三个孩子，而出生自意大利的前名模布吕尼现年41岁，与前夫生育有一个儿子。

《Voici》杂志写道：“据称，总统夫妇有意隐瞒“打怀孕牌”这一计划，以便在2012年总统大选前博得人们的同情。这一传闻已经流传了好几周。”该杂志称消息援引自法国国民议会（议会下院）。

布吕尼•萨科奇从不隐瞒他们想生一个孩子的愿望。她去年在接受采访时说：“我还没有怀孕，对此我很遗憾，因为我喜欢怀孕时的感觉。这会实现吗？很难说，因为40岁时怀孕可比25岁时难多了。”

但她和萨科奇都没有确定的造人计划。

布吕尼在今年三月接受采访时称，如果身体条件不允许再孕，她将考虑收养一名儿童。

据称，总统夫妇在“一段时间以前”就想出了这一新计划。萨科奇上月慢跑时突然昏厥后，支持率“不可思议地”上升，这使他们更加坚信产子计划是个正确的战略决策。

民调显示，萨科奇昏厥后，他的连任支持率上升了12%。

共有53%的法国民众认为萨科奇“是个好总统”，而在今年五月他的支持率仅有41%。

该杂志称，总统家庭新成员在下届大选前到来将为萨科奇赢得关键性选票，而萨科奇本人也已基本决定参选。

vocabulary:

clinch¹: to succeed in achieving or winning sth（赢得，成功取得）

keep/have sth up ones' sleeves: 暗中有打算，心中有妙计

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