Sarkozy allies call for order over French cabinet

PARIS, May 15 (Reuters) Senior allies of Nicolas Sarkozy called for order in troubled conservative ranks today after the French president-elect indicated he was ready to parachute a popular Socialist into his cabinet.

Sarkozy takes office tomorrow and is expected to unveil his new government by the end of the week, with the left-wing Bernard Kouchner, who co-founded the charity ''Doctors Without Borders'', poised to become foreign minister.

Some members of Sarkozy's ruling UMP party have openly criticised the appointment, but allies said the new president had to act for the good of France and not just his inner circle.

''This is not a time for handing out rewards, but to gather together talent,'' Brice Hortefeux, one of Sarkozy's longest-standing political confidants, told RTL radio.

''Nicolas Sarkozy never promised a post to anyone,'' he said.

Sarkozy has said he will name only 15 ministers -- half the present number -- and ensure that at least seven of them are women. There were 25 men in the outgoing cabinet, a sign of the male domination of French politics, so competition for posts is ferocious.

''Clearly there are a certain number of people who are going to have to be involved (in the ruling majority) without being in government,'' said former prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

''When you are a political activist, you shouldn't think about your personal position,'' he told Europe 1 radio.

The political change of guard is expected to kick off today afternoon when Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, a long-standing foe of Sarkozy, is set to resign.

President Jacques Chirac will make his final televised address to the nation at (1130 ist) after 12 years in office and will formally hand over power tomorrow morning.

One of Sarkozy's first acts will be to fly to Berlin tomorrow afternoon for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to underscore the importance of Franco-German ties.

LOOKING LEFT, CENTRE AND BEYOND Political sources say he will name the moderate conservative Francois Fillon prime minister on Thursday, with the cabinet line-up due by Monday at the latest, but probably earlier.

Besides Kouchner, Sarkozy is certain to name at least one centrist minister and may even draw in a personality from outside politics to complete his team.

His all-embracing approach is a clear attempt to belie his reputation as an uncompromising rightist, but it has upset some UMP politicians, who fear it may dilute the party's image ahead of next month's crucial parliamentary election.

It has also upset senior UMP politicians who see their dreams of ministerial glory evaporate.

''Someone like me has competence in defence matters and if this ministry passes to a Socialist or centrist it would be bizarre,'' said rightist politician Pierre Lelouche.

Sarkozy's manoeuvres have also unsettled the leftist camp and former Socialist Justice Minister Elisabeth Guigou accused him of trying to damage the party, which was badly shaken by its third consecutive presidential defeat.

''It is very dispiriting,'' she told France Info radio. ''I think that anyone who accepts (a cabinet post) will be accomplice to manoeuvring aimed solely at eroding the left at the parliamentary election.'' REUTERS TB KP1858