In France it was discovered that president Mitterrand had suffered from cancer from nearly the beginning of his presidency (and kept it secret). It seems he was suffering greaty during the last year of his second term. At which point does one's physical ability to exert their political duties is to be taken into account ? chemotherapy and radiotherapy are quite difficult to endure. Keeping such a person in an important position is possibly risky... And does smack of personalisation of politics.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères