Fillon stays

FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday re-appointed Francois Fillon as prime minister and asked him to create a new government.

The French president has been expected for months to make changes to his government ahead of 2012 presidential elections.

Mr Fillon resigned yesterday, a required step before any new government can be put in place.

Mr Sarkozy said in June that he planned to change the cabinet once a reform of the pension system was adopted.

The reform, raising the retirement age from 60 to 62, became law on Wednesday. It triggered weeks of strikes around France, including at oil refineries and depots that starved the country of fuel.