PETER BROWNING AUTUMN came early to Paris this year and, as the leaves fall from the chestnuts and limes that line the city's famous boulevards, President Nicolas Sarkozy's stellar approval ratings have come back down to earth with a bump.

PETER BROWNING

AUTUMN came early to Paris this year and, as the leaves fall from the chestnuts and limes that line the city's famous boulevards, President Nicolas Sarkozy's stellar approval ratings have come back down to earth with a bump.

Opinion polls show the popularity of the conservative leader, elected in May with a mandate to re-energise France's stagnating economy, fell 10 points - to below 60% for the first time.

Sarkozy is still the most popular president at this stage of his tenure since De Gaulle, but nevertheless it appears the curious love affair he has enjoyed with the French public may be coming to an end.

While his ratings wobble at home, Sarkozy may come to regret his over-the-top kissing of Angela Merkel at government meetings. His touchy feely style so irritated the German chancellor, she made an official complaint to French officials.

However, Sarkozy now needs Merkel's support to restore faith in the French commitment to aerospace group EADS, a major employer in France and Germany and a key symbol of European co-operation.

Blanket coverage has greeted the share trading scandal enveloping its Airbus parent firm amid suspicions of "massive" insider trading involving up to 21 current and former executives at EADS or Airbus, and industrial shareholders DaimlerChrysler and Lagardere.

Unfortunately, Sarkozy is not in a good negotiating position to gain support. He provoked Berlin's anger by stealing the limelight in the release of the Bulgarian nurses. Then there were military threats against Iran that undermined EU diplomatic efforts.

More recently, old wounds reopened when Sarkozy challenged the independence of the European Central Bank. During his election campaign, Sarkozy vowed to "stand up to Germany", and he has been true to his word.

However, it is increasingly likely Sarkozy's playing to the gallery that has characterised his rise to power is creating problems further down the line when the president needs support.

Last week, it was the revolt of one of the men who masterminded his arrival at the Elysee, Francois Fillon, now Sarkozy's prime minister. In his typically uncontrolled and petulant manner, Sarkozy dismissed him as a mere "aide" in an interview.

As prime minister, Fillon has the responsibility of implementing the president's reform programme, and understandably took umbrage.

It was nevertheless a surprise when, ahead of the government's first budget, one of his most loyal lieutenants broke ranks with the feel-good message and told TV cameras the country was "bankrupt". The comment raised speculation of austerity measures. When the budget was delivered, however, there were the expected tax breaks but no significant spending cuts.

Media interest focused on why there was no attempt to curb spending, augmented by criticism from eurozone finance ministers that the budget was "lacking in ambition".

Sarkozy was outraged by Fillon's act of lese-majeste. A newspaper reported he said of his loyal lieutenant: "He's p***ing me off. I can't get rid of him straight away, but in May after municipal elections anything is possible."

The threat saw Fillon return to the government script and there were a variety of interviews gushing about how the two were joined at the hip.

However, the spat appeared to give full licence to pent-up feelings of ostracisation among previously loyal conservative parliamentarians.

At a meeting of conservative MPs in Strasbourg on Saturday, jokes came thick and fast about Sarkozy's policy of "openness", by which he appoints ministers from opposition parties to key posts in his government.

While the tactic left the Socialists in disarray after the elections, it also left bruised egos among the more ambitious cheerleaders in his own party. MPs also voiced concerns openly about Sarkozy's plans for civil service modernisation, and whether economic reforms would produce results. The president was reported to be livid.

The next big test to Sarkozy's authority comes as he tries to push through reforms to pension privileges enjoyed by "tough" professions - including sailors, miners, actors in the Comedie Francaise and MPs - that enable some to retire at 50.

Sarkozy has highlighted the system's inequalities that see the average private sector worker receive a pension of £11,000, compared with £12,500 for a railway worker and £16,600 for an electrician.

However, a "warning strike" has been called by gas, power and transport unions for October 18 - two days ahead of the Rugby World Cup final. If Sarkozy is to proceed with his reforms, he needs success in this first face-off with unions.