Presidential rivalry spills into French jobs law row

FRANCE’S powerful interior minister yesterday distanced himself from prime minister Dominique de Villepin over a controversial jobs law that last weekend brought 1.5 million protesters nationwide onto the streets.

Nicolas Sarkozy ruled out quitting, but his remarks are a clear sign of the deepening rift in France’s ruling right.

In an interview, Mr Sarkozy called for a six-month trial period for the CPE first job contract, which allows employers to fire people under 26 without giving a reason, over the course of a two-year trial period.