President Nicolas Sarkozy called today for a reform of France's constitution and announced he would set up a commission to study ways to modernise rather than revolutionise the French state.
Repeatedly evoking the spirit of former President Charles de Gaulle, Mr Sarkozy said he wanted to see a strong presidency, with solid checks and balances put in place to insure France's institutions were "irreproachable".
There is sometimes confusion in France over the division of powers between the president, prime minister and parliament, but Sarkozy said he believed the head of state should predominate. "I want the president to govern and be held more to account," he said in a speech in this northeastern town, where 61 years ago de Gaulle also delivered a keynote speech demanding that the presidency be handed more powers.
Months later, voters rejected his proposals in a referendum and the project was not realised for another decade. To boost accountability, Mr Sarkozy said presidents should address parliament "at least once a year" and added that famously opaque presidential spending should be scrutinised by the national state auditor.
Mr Sarkozy said a commission of politicians and experts, led by his close ally, former Prime Minister Edouard Balladur, would report back with precise proposals by November 1st.
He said he hoped leading leftists would also take part despite an edict from the opposition Socialists warning that members would be suspended from the party if they cooperated. Socialist leaders say the reform should be discussed by a parliamentary commission and warn that they will use their blocking powers if they disagree with the final outcome.