Total pledges no French plant closures - union

Sarkozy, whose ratings are close to all-time lows amid rising unemployment, faces regional elections next month, while Britain's Labour government lags the Conservatives ahead of a general election which must be held by mid-year.

Sarkozy's centre-right government is seen as keen to avoid protests and panic buying at petrol pumps. Last month, Sarkozy tried to win assurances from car maker Renault to centre production of a new small car in France instead of Turkey.

European refiners are struggling to cope with low margins and poor demand and several refineries have been put up for sale or sold.

France has over 12,500 petrol stations and Total supplies half of the country with petrol.

Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo told Europe 1 radio France was not at risk of running out of fuel and had around 10 days of stocks. "At this point in time, there is no risk of shortage," he said.

But analysts expect shortages to worsen rapidly as the strike spreads and French families take to the roads for school holidays.

Petroleum industry body UFIP said on Monday there were around 7 days of fuel supply left.

(Writing by Marie Maitre and Jo Winterbottom; editing by Marcel Michelson)