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PARIS — The career of France's de-facto deputy prime minister, Alain Juppe, was in ruins again on Sunday after losing a parliamentary election and stepping down from a powerful cabinet post he held for just a few weeks.
Mr. Juppe, a former prime minister, was handed the energy and environment portfolio last month -- a nomination that marked But his reappearance on the national stage was short-lived after he lost to a little-known Socialist candidate in his Bordeaux constituency in Sunday's legislative ballot.
"As of tomorrow morning, I will present my resignation as minister of ecology and sustainable development to the president and the prime minister," a sombre-looking Mr. Juppe said after the official result was announced.
Mr. Juppe's defeat is the first major blow for President Nicolas Sarkozy's newly-installed government. He is a political heavyweight with years of experience and his absence from the government will leave a significant hole in Mr. Sarkozy's team.
Mr. Sarkozy is expected replace him in the next few days.
"It's bad news for our government and for the country," said former conservative government spokesman Jean-François Copé.
