Sarkozy hints at marriage with Bruni

French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday said his romance with Carla Bruni was "serious" and hinted that he was ready to marry the Italian former supermodel.
"There is a strong chance that you will learn about it once it's already been done," Sarkozy told a packed New Year's press conference when asked about reports that a wedding is planned next month.
"It is serious," he said of the romance, which has unleashed a media blitz since the couple were first photographed in December visiting the Disneyland theme park near Paris.
The 52-year-old president and Bruni -- an heiress whose past conquests include rock stars Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton -- have since been trailed by a swarm of paparazzi.
"Carla and I have decided not to lie," said the president, addressing some 600 French and foreign journalists at his first major news conference since his election last May.
Three months after divorcing his second wife Cecilia, Sarkozy has been under pressure to comment publicly on the romance amid signs that the celebrity spotlight could be hurting his approval ratings.
Several polls since the New Year have shown Sarkozy slip three to four points, while one showed a seven-point plunge in his confidence rating to 48 percent -- the lowest point since his election.
Dubbed "the Bling-Bling president" by left-wing critics, Sarkozy has been accused of parading his romance in the media while neglecting the ppublic's day-to-day concerns.
Elected on pledge to enact sweeping reforms, Sarkozy faces criticism that he has been unable to kick-start the economy into higher gear.