Carla Bruni sings while Sarkozy is left holding the baby

Carla Bruni is to start singing live again and will release a new album of songs.

She is reviving a musical career she shelved while her husband was president. Nicolas Sarkozy announced his retirement from politics following his defeat in Sunday’s election.

There are also rumours of France’s outgoing first lady starring as herself in a film about her family. Her spokeswoman said: “Carla did not put her career on hold during Sarkozy’s five years in office, she continues to compose. What she gave up for practical reasons was her public concerts, which she is now able to start again.”

Ms Bruni-Sarkozy, 44, has a recording studio in her Paris townhouse and will release a new album for Christmas.

She is hoping to repeat the success of Somebody Told Me which came out 10 years ago and sold two million copies, mostly in France. Mr Sarkozy, 57, is facing an uncertain future — his poor English means he will struggle to follow Tony Blair’s example and make money on the lucrative US lecture circuit and he is unlikely to return to his first career as a lawyer but thanks to his Italian-born wife’s £20 million personal fortune he does not need to work again.

What it certain is that he will have a lot more time to spend with the couple’s seven-month-old daughter Giulia.