THE prospect of France rejecting the European constitution ignited a blazing Cabinet row yesterday after President Chirac signalled that he aims to sack Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the Prime Minister, whether the country votes “yes” or “no”.

M Raffarin, whose unpopularity is deemed to be a big factor in the troubles of the “yes” campaign for the May 29 referendum, rounded on Dominique de Villepin, the Interior Minister and close ally of the President, over damning remarks that he made against his own Government.

After a meeting with M Chirac, M de Villepin said that whatever the result in the referendum, “we will need policies that are much more determined, bolder and more socially conscious . . . in order to take into account the feelings, aspirations and frustrations which are being expressed”.

His words, on national radio, were interpreted as a message to voters from M Chirac that he had understood their grievances against his Government and would sacrifice M Raffarin after the referendum.

At a breakfast Cabinet meeting yesterday, M Raffarin tore into M de Villepin and the two had what officials called “a very violent dispute”. The Interior Minister, who formerly served as M Chirac’s chief-of-staff, told the Prime Minister that he had “spoken on orders”, implying that the President had instructed him to make the remarks.

M de Villepin, one of the most openly ambitious Cabinet members although he has never held any elective office, compounded his offence in the eyes of the Prime Minister by implying that M Chirac would give him the job. “All one’s life one prepares to take on certain tasks, which are sometimes difficult or unpredictable,” M de Villepin said. “After that, it is destiny. It is those above us who decide.” Discontent over M Raffarin’s policies is helping to fuel hostility to the constitution, now running at about 54 per cent of decided voters, according to polls.

M Chirac has said that he has no intention of resigning in the event of a “non”. He clearly thinks that replacing M Raffarin could defuse some of the voters’ anger. France’s appointed prime ministers are known as “the President’s fuse”, meaning that they take the heat for the head of state and are discarded when he wants a fresh start.

The Socialist party, which is in the process of destroying itself over the constitution, leapt on the Cabinet feud, mocking the Government for lacking any confidence in itself. “The Minister of the Interior no longer trusts the Prime Minister,” a party spokeswoman said.

Wounding the Socialist opposition was deemed to have been a motive in M Chirac’s decision last year to put the constitution to a referendum. The ploy worked, but not the way that he intended. A majority of Socialist voters has fallen in behind party dissidents whose “no” campaign is eclipsing the “yes” effort by François Hollande, the party leader.

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