FRENCH PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday sacked a senior minister and promoted an ally of his rival Dominique de Villepin as he tried to regain the initiative after a heavy electoral defeat at the weekend.
Labour minister Xavier Darcos had been set to lead negotiations over a contested reform of the pensions system, but his credibility was damaged by a poor personal showing in the second round of regional elections on Sunday.
He has been replaced by budget minister Eric Woerth, who has won praise for his assured handling of complex dossiers, the Elysée Palace said in a statement last night.
Mr Sarkozy’s centre-right UMP bloc was roundly beaten in Sunday’s run-off, with the Socialist Party and its allies winning 54 per cent of the vote – its best election score since the birth of the Fifth French Republic in 1958.
The president used yesterday’s minor reshuffle to promote Georges Tron, an ally of former prime minister Dominique Villepin. Mr Tron has been appointed junior labour minister.
With speculation rife that Mr de Villepin plans to announce the creation of a new centre-right party this week, the elevation of Mr Tron will be interpreted as an attempt to weaken the president’s long-time rival.
Another beneficiary was François Baroin, who has publicly criticised a number of the president’s policies. He will take over Mr Woerth’s old job as budget minister.
The powerful CGT union has called for a day of protest today, hoping the election loss will persuade the government to abandon its plans to raise the retirement age beyond 60.
