French govt hints at backdown

The French Government yesterday showed the first signs of retreat in a row over efforts by President Nicolas Sarkozy's undergraduate son to secure a plum job overseeing development of Paris' business district.

The plan to put 23-year-old Jean Sarkozy in charge of the agency, which aims to transform La defence into a financial hub to rival the City of London, has caused an outcry over preferential treatment for Sarkozy junior, dubbed the "dauphin", or crown prince, in the national press.