The new French Prime Minister Dominque de Villepin has unveiled his new cabinet, designed to win back confidence in a government shaken by the EU referendum defeat.

Villepin and President Jacques Chirac have come up with the new cabinet sooner than expected. The prime minister has given himself 100 days to restore belief in the government.

He was appointed prime minister after the resignation of the unpopular Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

The new interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy will also serve as Villepin's deputy.

Chirac loyalist Philippe Douste-Blazy replaces Michel Barnier as foreign minister.

Thierry Breton remains as finance minister, as does Michele Alliot-Marie in the defence ministery.

The new government's proclaimed priority is jobs, and Jean-Louis Borloo will hold that responsibility.

Catherine Colonna moves to European Affairs. Sarkozy has been given a prominent dual role, and will continue to lead the ruling UMP party.

He said: "The French have sent an extremely brutal message three times - to the left in April 2002, the right in March 2004 and now with the referendum. We must profoundly change the way we act, make ourselves accountable and find solutions which will deliver results."

Chirac's described it as a government of national unity but there's intense rivalry between the president and Sarkozy, who's made no secret of his own ambitions to win the top job at the next election in 2007.

A poll for Le Monde newspaper this week found Sarkozy was France's most popular politician.

PHOTO CAPTION

French President Jacques Chirac attends an award ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris Friday, June 3, 2005. (AP)