Chirac stakes prestige on protege Villepin

Chirac is keeping his besieged prime minister. Picture / Reuters.

PARIS - President Jacques Chirac has staked the remains of his dwindling prestige on Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, declaring that his embattled protege will remain in office and see out his political programme.

In a gamble that was more forced than calculated, Chirac ruled out any reshuffle of a Government that is plumbing new depths in public support, and vowed to stick to an agenda of job creation, economic growth, crime-cutting initiatives and the overhaul of bureaucracy.

"Unemployment has fallen very significantly and will continue to fall, growth is solid, and as far as crime is concerned, [despite] problems, there has been an extremely noticeable improvement," Chirac said.

"I don't see any reason why I should change a government that has carried out its obligations perfectly."

Chirac mounted his defence in a surprise television interview nearly three weeks before his expected address on Bastille Day, on July 14.

By taking to the airwaves so far ahead of schedule, he reflected a deep anxiety at the meltdown of Villepin's authority, which in turn has dragged down his own credibility with just 11 months before new elections.

Lionised as brilliant and dashing in his past role as France's Foreign Minister, Villepin has presided over catastrophe after catastrophe as premier.

Suburban ghetto rioting was followed by mass protests against changes to labour laws. Then there was a scandal in which Villepin has been accused of ordering a secret probe into his rival, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Last week, a revolt within the governing Union for a Popular Movement forced Villepin to apologise for verbally assaulting the opposition Socialist leader, Francois Hollande.

Some UMP deputies are openly calling for Villepin to be replaced, fearing he will wreck their chances at next year's parliamentary elections, which follow the presidential ballot in May.

Just 26 per cent of the public approve of Villepin, while Chirac's popularity rating has slumped to just 29 per cent, adding to a pervasive sense of fin de regime.

Chirac played down such talk as political and media turbulence linked to the prospect of elections but insisted his Government would stay the course. And, in response to probing by the interviewer, the 73-year-old President did not rule out seeking a third term in the Elysee palace: "It is a question that is being raised."

Despite his combative stance, Chirac looked tired at times and his left eye, where last year he suffered what is described as a minor blood clot, occasionally blinked and watered.

Last week, Le Parisien reported that Chirac was depressed over his state of health and the political quagmire in which he finds himself.

Critics described the television performance as sad and predictable.

"We hadn't expected much, and we weren't disappointed," said Socialist Party spokesman Julien Dray.