France's senior minister loses parliament seat, to tender resignation PARIS, June 17 (Xinhua) -- France's environment super minister Alain Juppe failed to win a parliamentary seat on Sunday and said he would resign from the cabinet.

New French President Nicolas Sarkozy named Francois Fillon as prime minister yesterday, banking on the moderate conservative's negotiating skills to push through sweeping reforms in the face of union resistance.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy selected Francois Fillon, who has strong ties with France's labor unions, to serve as prime minister. The London-based Telegraph reported that Fillon was seen as a choice who could implement Sarkozy's campaign promises to reform France's economy.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin arrived at a Paris court yesterday to be questioned as part of an investigation into an apparent smear campaign against conservative presidential frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy.

By Marcel Michelson PARIS (Reuters) - French students meet on Sunday to decide how to continue their fight against a new youth jobs law ahead of mass protests and a call for a general strike on Tuesday.