Sarkozy, premier plot strategy after French voters rebuff conservatives in regional elections

Sarkozy strategizes after French election rebuff

PARIS — President Nicolas Sarkozy considered a Cabinet shake-up Monday after leftists walloped his conservatives in France’s regional elections — exposing his vulnerability to potential challengers and his inability to convince the public of the need for economic reforms.

The blowout Sunday could hand a new opening to Sarkozy’s potential presidential rivals — from IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn in the Socialist camp to former prime minister Dominique de Villepin on the right. It also puts the onus on Sarkozy to lift public fortunes before the next presidential race in 2012.

“Overall, these elections are a serious warning for Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of the presidential elections,” said Emmanuel Riviere, a pollster at TNS Sofres. “When you lose the mid-term election, you lose either the next presidential or parliamentary election.”

The election leaves Sarkozy weakened as he heads off on two important trips — to an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday and a U.S. visit to New York and Washington next week.

France and Germany have been at odds over how to handle the Greek debt crisis, with France preferring a European Union solution. But German officials say they can’t rule out financial aid from the International Monetary Fund — a move that could boost Strauss-Kahn’s profile. A shake-out could emerge at the EU summit.

Meanwhile, de Villepin — Sarkozy’s political archenemy — was poised to announce a new political party on Thursday, according to conservative lawmaker Francois Goulard, a member of the political group ClubVillepin.

Speculation was widespread about what Sarkozy would do to freshen up his ministerial lineup in response to Sunday’s election results. Sarkozy chief of staff Claude Gueant told the Catholic newspaper La Croix that a “modest reshuffle” was likely in the Cabinet.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon met with Sarkozy at the presidential palace Monday to plot strategy. As Fillon left, former Interior Minister Francois Baroin arrived.

Sarkozy, who has emerged from the political doldrums before, could bounce back: His party controls parliament with a big majority, and polls suggest French voters know the country needs reform on testy issues like pensions.

The long-flailing French left made a big comeback in Sunday’s vote, dominated by worries about jobs, paychecks and pensions in the wake of France’s worst recession since World War II.

With 99.6 percent of ballots counted, the Socialists and their left-leaning allies won 53.8 percent of the vote nationwide, while Sarkozy’s UMP party had 35.5 percent, according to the Interior Ministry. Turnout dropped to record lows in the election, at 51 percent in Sunday’s runoff and 46 percent in the first round a week earlier.

The vote leaves Sarkozy looking more isolated, squeezed between a resurgent left and resurgent extreme right.

His effort two years ago to sap the Socialists by inviting them to his government failed to bring leftist voters to his side and alienated members of his own party.

Meanwhile, his bid to draw in far-right voters with a debate on France’s national identity and firm stance against Islamic full-face veils backfired, bringing anger at immigrants to the fore and sending more voters to the anti-immigration National Front.

The National Front party reversed years of declining support, winning between 13 percent and 22 percent of the vote in the 12 regions where they made it into Sunday’s runoff.

Nationwide strikes are planned Tuesday by train drivers angry over pension reforms — the pillar of Sarkozy’s presidential policies — and by teachers angry over job cuts.

Sunday’s vote left Socialists in control of 23 of France’s 26 regions. The conservatives held on to Alsace but lost control of Corsica, and won control of French Guiana in South America, and Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

Associated Press writer Sylvie Corbet contributed to this report.