Bordeaux mayor Juppé quits

Alain Juppé is to stand down as mayor of Bordeaux, one year before the end of his third consecutive term.

The 73-year-old has been unveiled as the replacement for Lionel Jospin on the French Constitutional Council - the country's highest constitutional authority, which is responsible for ensuring laws passed by the Assembly and Senate do not contravene the French constitution.

Announcing his resignation at Bordeaux City Hall, Mr Juppé - a former Prime Minister of France - described his decision as "heartbreaking".

"I made the decision not to run for re-election in March 2020," he said, adding, "I had planned to announce this after the European elections."

Mr Juppé said he had "so many projects in mind for Bordeaux" and compared his relationship with the city to that of "an old couple".

First elected to the office in 1995, he is widely credited with having led “an extraordinary evolution” that has transformed Bordeaux into the popular place it is today.