By Crispian Balmer
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy iswidely expected to change his style of leadership after amunicipal election trouncing, but aides ruled out any change toeconomic reform plans or a major cabinet shake-up.
Just 10 months since Sarkozy won power, many voters feel hehas not protected them from the rising cost of living and thinkhe has focused too much on his private life, marrying formermodel Carla Bruni after a whirlwind romance.
The opposition Socialists wrested control of more than 20large towns and cities from Sarkozy's centre-right UMP party inSunday's vote, the second round of the municipal election in aweek. The Socialists also kept their grip on the capital Paris.
The fact that the UMP just managed to cling on to power inFrance's third largest city Marseille could not disguise thescale of its defeat nationwide in the first test of Sarkozy'spopularity with voters since his victory last May.
"Whatever way you look at it, it is a big victory for theleft," said Jerome Jaffre, head of the Cecop polling institute.
Sarkozy was elected last May on a pledge to shake up thehidebound French economy, cut back on public sector workers andmodernise the state's many institutions.
The Socialists said the result reflected concern with alacklustre economy, while UMP leaders said it showed voterswanted the government to accelerate reform plans, including anoverhaul of the health, education and pension systems.
But presidential aides said the vote was likely to promptchanges to the way Sarkozy approached his job.
Media reports suggested Sarkozy would start by shaking uphis presidential team, with his youthful spokesman DavidMartinon being shown the door and more experienced heavyweightssharing the task of explaining the official line.
CELEBRITY TRAPPINGS
Sarkozy is also expected to adopt a more traditionalpresidential manner, shedding the celebrity trappings that haveearned him the nickname "President Bling Bling".
His programme for the week ahead points to this newapproach with ceremonies for veterans of both World War One andTwo, a speech on the French language and the launching of anuclear submarine -- all classical presidential activities.
Opposition politicians said the municipal election resultunderlined that voters were worried about soaring living costsand dwindling spending power.
"The president has to change the policies he has beenpursuing for the last 10 months," said Socialist leaderFrancois Hollande. "The French are telling him that hispromises about spending power have not been met."
But Sarkozy's chief of staff Claude Gueant told the dailyLa Croix newspaper: "There is no question of touching thegeneral architecture of the government or the main positionsbefore the beginning of next year."
However, he said there may be some "technicalreadjustments", without elaborating.
"The government needs to go faster, further and higher withits reforms," said UMP secretary general Patrick Devedjian.
The election outcome meant the UMP was left in charge ofonly three of France's 10 biggest cities and 41 out of 101local administrative departments.
(Additional reporting by James Mackenzie, Editing by RalphGowling)
