Nicolas Sarkozy, France's new finance minister, said that the government would move actively to keep jobs and crucial industries on French soil. But for the first time, he also called on European governments to join forces to keep the core of the economic bloc from turning into "industrial deserts."

"There are great companies in Europe, with a savoir-faire of the highest standard. We have to support them. Neither France nor Europe can become industrial deserts. Solutions exist."

Analysts warn that the strategy will do nothing to stop manufacturing jobs from leaving Europe -- and may well backfire.

"He is fighting against windmills -- the process of disindustrialization is inevitable. Those countries who slow that process pay. The problem is not that there is disindustrialization in France, but that it isn't happening fast enough."