Jacques Chirac, French president, yesterday intervened to bolster his embattled prime minister Dominique de Villepin as nationwide protests mounted over the government's tentative labour reforms.

Speaking in Berlin after a meeting with Angela Merkel, German chancellor, Mr Chirac gave his "total and unreserved" support to Mr de Villepin, "especially on this tricky problem of integrating and employing young people". It was the president's first public comment in support of Mr de Villepin's reforms, despite growing criticism of his initiatives, even from within his own party.