Carla Bruni 'desperate to have a baby'

French first lady Carla Bruni was at the centre of media speculation Thursday that she is desperate to become a mother again at the age of 43.

The former supermodel and her husband, President Nicolas Sarkozy, 55, hope to have a child in 2012 - just ahead of the next French presidential election, Daily Mail reported citing media reports.

And if she is unable to conceive naturally, they would consider adopting a baby boy, glossy French weekly magazine Gala said.

The revelations come just a month after Bruni told a religious cleric during a state visit to India that she was 'praying for a son'.

Bruni already has a nine-year-old son Aurelian from a previous relationship, while Sarkozy has three children from two previous marriages, and is also a grandfather, the Mail said.

Now Gala magazine has revealed: “Carla wants to offer Nicolas a male child in 2012, but if she is too old to conceive, she would adopt.

“The child would also be a way of silencing everything that has been said and written about their relationship in the French media.”

The media mockery of the First Lady also comes in the week she was voted France's most irritating celebrity in a nationwide poll of 2010's most annoying people.

Her husband was fourth in the same survey of France's most irritating politicians.

Observers in France said Bruni's unpopularity could be caused by her almost constant presence in newspapers and magazines since she married President Sarkozy after a whirlwind romance three years ago.