French voters delivered a stinging warning to President Nicolas Sarkozy by throwing his party out of office in a string of towns and cities, a ballot box setback that prompted immediate promises of reinvigorated reforms from his government.

Sarkozy will "take into account the message expressed by the French," government spokesman Laurent Wauquiez said March 17, adding that there would be "adjustments" in the Cabinet soon but no major shake-up.

Reading into the election outcome, Wauquiez, the government spokesman, said on France-Inter radio that voters seemed to want results from promised reforms "faster in their daily lives."