Bruised Sarkozy launches campaign for French regional's

AUBERVILLIERS, France (Reuters) - Battered by a series of political setbacks, French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday launched his campaign for next year's regional elections and called for unity in his centre-right UMP party.

Mid-way through his presidential term, Sarkozy faces widespread dissatisfaction and an increasingly hopeful opposition Socialist Party which trounced the UMP in the last regional elections in 2004.

Attempting to rebuild his image as a tough leader committed to reforming France, Sarkozy on Saturday called on assembled regional candidates to "take risks" and defended his fiscal, immigration and security policies since coming to power in 2007.

"Obviously, when you are at the head of the ship and there is a wave that is slightly bigger than the others, you get wet," he said. "But you steer the ship."

Sarkozy is keen to avoid repeating his party's abysmal showing in the 2004 regional elections, when the UMP held onto only two seats out of 24 in mainland France.

But it remains to be seen whether his rallying will help overcome a recent series of politically damaging incidents.

These include sex tourism revelations about Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand, accusations of racism levelled at Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux and a bitter court battle against former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.

Public opinion of Sarkozy has also plunged following an uproar over plans to install his son as head of the agency in charge of the Paris business district La Defence.

He has also faced growing discontent among UMP lawmakers over subjects ranging from regional government reform to a planned carbon tax that will raise petrol prices.