(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-03-17 08:06

DISCONTENT

Sarkozy came to power in May pledging a break with the failed policies of decades of past French government and promising better times for those prepared to work hard.

But growing worries over the soaring cost of living and dwindling spending power, combined with widespread irritation at his own glitzy lifestyle and brusque personal manner have combined to dent his image and torpedo his approval ratings.

He remained in the background during the final weeks of the campaign, leaving Fillon, his increasingly popular prime minister, to act as the government front-man in the campaign.

As if expecting defeat, he pledged after the first round of the election last week "to draw the lessons from the election," though no major change of policy direction or cabinet reshuffle is expected.

"There is no question of touching the general architecture of the government or the main positions before the beginning of next year," his chief of staff Claude Gueant told the daily La Croix, saying there might be some "technical readjustments".

Sarkozy is expected to try to tone down his image as the hyperactive "duracell" president and restore his aura as head of state, attending events in coming days commemorating the wartime resistance and the death of France's last World War One veteran.

Education Minister Xavier Darcos was toppled from his local powerbase as mayor of Perigueux in the south, but there was no sign that he would lose his cabinet seat as a result.

Francois Bayrou, head of the centrist MoDem party, who came third in last year's presidential election, was embarrassingly beaten in the race for Pau in the south but pledged to continue with his drive to build a major third force in French politics.

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