Nicolas Sarkozy, France's newly elected president, leaves the Fouquet's Hotel in Paris, yesterday. - Reuters

PARIS (Reuters):

French president-elect, Nicolas Sarkozy, disappeared on a retreat with his family yesterday to consider his government line-up and plot strategy for a crucial parliamentary election in June.

Sarkozy, a combative conservative, won a strong mandate for political and economic change by winning 53.06 per cent of the vote in Sunday's presidential run-off against 46.94 for Socialist Segolene Royal.

But he needs to secure a majority in the election for the National Assembly on June 10 and 17 to make good on his vows to loosen rigid labour laws, trim fat from the public service, cut taxes and restorefull employment.

Biggest parliamentary majority "We are going to see how we can give him the biggest parliamentary majority possible so he can put into effect his undertakings," Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie told reporters outside Sarkozy's campaign headquarters.

Sarkozy left Paris in the morning with his wife and son, after spending the night in a luxury hotel. They arrived unannounced on a private aircraft on the Mediterranean island of Malta, airport sources told Reuters on yesterday.

He had been expected to visit Corsica for a few days.

"These few days rest were planned to put him more in the mindset of a president after the tumultuous battle," said Claude Gueant, his campaign director.

"It will also be a few days to let him reflect on the make-up of his government team," he told RTL radio.