Macron said last month the government plans to sell between 5 and 10 billion euros (4.02-8.04 billion pounds) of state assets over the next 18 months.

Asked by Le Monde whether the government would start by selling shares in utility EDF or lottery and betting monopoly Francaise des Jeux, Macron said: "We will start with other companies such as the regional airports, or those companies in which the state has double voting rights, which would allow it to maintain its influence".

(This version of the story was corrected to remove reference to GDF Suez)

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq, editing by Louise Heavens)