Paris - The French government of the Socialist Prime Minister, Mr Lionel Jospin, was badly weakened yesterday with the resignation of the Employment Minister, Ms Martine Aubry - the fifth unsolicited departure by a senior minister in less than a year.
Ms Aubry (50) left to stand for the mayorship of the northern city of Lille in local elections in March, and was replaced by the Justice Minister, Ms Elisabeth Guigou.
For Mr Jospin it meant that nearly all the left-wing heavyweights who joined his "dream team" after victory at the polls three and a half years ago have now gone.