Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France’s ruling UMP party, on Monday grabbed centre stage in an attempt to find a compromise over the government’s controversial youth labour law as students and trades unions planned mass protests on Tuesday to demand its complete withdrawal.

Mr Sarkozy, who also serves as interior minister, was due to hold talks with UMP deputies on Monday night to discuss amendments to the First Job Contract (CPE), an employment measure designed to cut high youth unemployment that has instead provoked outrage among the young.