Chirac wields cabinet axe

Foreign minister Dominique de Villepin, a relentless critic of the US war in Iraq, will head the Interior Ministry under a major French government shake-up.

Charismatic De Villepin, France’s top diplomat since May 2002, will be replaced by European Commissioner Michel Barnier, the presidential Elysee Palace announced.

The current interior minister, the highly popular Nicolas Sakozy, becomes head of the Finance Ministry, but his role – perhaps the government’s toughest - could expand to encompass command of ambitious but controversial reform programs.

Last night’s changes followed the governing right’s massive defeat in regional elections in which the Socialist-led opposition marched to victory in all but one region of mainland France.

President Jacques Chirac decided to retain unpopular Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin but make drastic changes in the government. He also decided to move ahead with reforms that turned the country against the conservative leadership.

The Cabinet changes left few posts untouched. But defence minister Michele Alliot-Marie and justice minister Dominique Perben retained their positions.

Social affairs minister Francois Fillon replaces Luc Ferry as education minister. Mr Sarkozy replaces Francis Mer at the Finance Ministry.

Urban affairs minister Jean-Louis Borloo will head an enlarged ministry taking in “social cohesion”, urban matters, housing and integration – part of an effort to respond to critics of the government’s social policies.