Battered in the opinion polls, French President Nicolas Sarkozy goes on prime time television Monday to defend his record in office as joblessness rises and regional elections loom.
France's top television channel, TF1, is asking 11 French viewers from all walks of life to put their questions directly to the president during the 90-minute programme starting at 8 pm (1900 GMT).
Sarkozy has been struggling with near record lows in his approval rating since taking office in 2007, with a poll at the weekend showing that only 38 percent support him, while 61 percent disapprove of his performance.
The president, who turns 55 on Thursday, has rolled out a series of measures to address the 2008 financial meltdown, but has failed to reverse the climb in unemployment, which is on track to hit 10 percent this year.
The jobless rate remained stable at 9.1 percent in the third quarter of 2009, but the government has warned that the employment outlook will take some time to improve following last year's recession.
A poll released ahead of Sarkozy's television appearance showed that jobs was the number one concern in France, followed by pension reform and cost of living.
Sarkozy is also expected to touch on the crisis in quake-hit Haiti, measures to curb bankers' bonuses, proposed legislation on banning the full Islamic veil and the carbon tax to help fight global warming.
"Before millions of French viewers, he will try to bring together all of the various issues, explain his reforms and show their coherence," said an Elysee official.
Sarkozy was elected on a promise to reform France and rev up its economy, but voters complain that the president's priorities appear muddled.
On the electoral front, the president's right-wing UMP party is gearing up for regional elections in March, hoping to beat back the opposition Socialists who control 20 of France's 22 regions.
The television appearance caps several weeks of speeches to various sectors of French society that have allowed the president to offer good wishes for the New Year and outline his plans.
On Wednesday, Sarkozy will deliver the opening address at the World Economic Forum in Davos and expound on his call for more regulation of global finance.
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