French journalists have started to speculate about the next presidential election in 2007. It's well known that Chirac had plans to seek a third term as President of France. His political problems after his defeat in the national referendum over Europe in June are now doubled by his health problems, because French society and the media are very sensitive to every sign of their president's ill-health, since it became public knowledge that the former president Francois Mitterrand suffered bone cancer and was hiding the truth as long as it was possible. Chirac's indisposition might help his opponents in winning the next elections. But Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, Chirac's protégé denied that the president's disease is serious, saying that speculations about the end of Chirac's political career are "irrelevant and disconnected from today's reality". According to "The Guardian" he gave assurances that the president was getting better and during Villepin's Saturday visit to the hospital he saw Chirac "standing, walking in his room and talking about the major issues". Although he will stay under medical supervision for about a week, he is even discussing the issue of French aid to the United States to help cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The main rival to Jacques Chirac in the contest for presidency in 2007 will be Nicolas Sarkozy, at present Interior Minister in Villepen's government and the leader of Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). The radical politician, who does not hide his presidential ambitious seems to be the front-runner according to the polls. Today, two years before the elections he forecasts a "healthy, loyal and quality" campaign in 2007 and wishes Chirac a full recovery.
Jacques Chirac, who does not want to speak publicly about his disease, needs to stay in good health during the next two years as he must be honest with his nation, if he wants to become President of France for the third time.
Since Jacques Chirac was taken to the hospital late on Friday, French media and politicians are focusing their attention on the possible changes in France's political scene. Jacques Chirac is hospitalized in a Paris military hospital ‘Val de Grace' suffering from eyesight difficulties following blood vessel problems. 
