Speculation mounted on Sunday that French President Jacques Chirac could call on his long-time rival Nicolas Sarkozy to replace Dominique de Villepin, prime minister, who has struggled to assert his authority amid a political scandal involving the country’s most senior officials.

The Elysée palace on Sunday denied reports that the interior minister, who is also head of the ruling UMP party, had been asked to consider becoming prime minister. President Chirac had “complete and total confidence in prime minister Dominique de Villepin to fulfill the mission he had been given,” a spokeswoman said on Sunday.