French PM 'to restore confidence'

Dominique de Villepin was a controversial choice

Newly appointed French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin aims to restore the confidence of the French people during his first 100 days in office.

Mr de Villepin set out his goal in a speech to the upper house of parliament, a senator told journalists.

Mr de Villepin was appointed prime minister on Tuesday, following the French people's rejection of the European constitution.

He is still to name his cabinet, which is to include rival Nicolas Sarkozy.

Senator Roger Karoutchi quoted Mr de Villepin as saying: "He is convinced he can find the means and the solutions."

The new government's tasks were spelt out by President Jacques Chirac in a televised address on Tuesday evening.

He said he would listen to the message from the French people. Mr Chirac promised action to curb France's high unemployment rate, without accepting unbridled free-market competition.

He described it as a government of national unity that would work to heal the divides revealed by the referendum result.

'Insult'

But the promotion of Mr de Villepin and the expected return of Mr Sarkozy are proving controversial, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris.

The government's former coalition partner, the centrist Union for French Democracy, has said it will not participate in this administration.

The man has charm and vigour, but no particular talent for bringing down unemployment Liberation Press glum over Villepin

Mr de Villepin, 51, replaced former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who resigned in the wake of the government's EU referendum defeat.

But his appointment has been condemned by the Green Party, some Socialists and the Communists as an insult to the French people as he personifies the political elite rebuffed by voters in the referendum.

The choice of Mr de Villepin is also expected to ruffle feathers in Washington, where he is remembered for expressing France's implacable opposition to the war in Iraq at the United Nations.

US state department spokesman Richard Boucher said the government looked forward to working with the new French prime minister, but refused to comment about the choice.

As well as trying to reform the nation, the new French cabinet must restore relations with France's European partners and work out what happens next to the European constitution.

Mr de Villepin could face his first test on Wednesday when the state-owned railway SNCF is due to go on strike, disrupting high-speed and regional train services.