France, Sept. 1 -- Francois Bayrou has placed his government's survival on a high-stakes confidence vote, urging France to back his tough budget plans despite mounting calls for his departure.

French Prime Minister Bayrou has vowed not to bow out quietly, insisting that his contested economic programme is about the future of France, not just his own political survival.

Speaking on Sunday evening from his office at Matignon, the 74-year-old head of government gave a sprawling 90-minute interview broadcast live on France's four rolling news channels.

Switching briefly into his native Bearnais dialect of Occitan, he closed with a rallying cry: "Continuons le combat" - which roughly translates as "keep the fight going".

Bayrou seeks unity...