Ecologist rejects Environment Minister role

President Emmanuel Macron's search for an Environment Minister continues - after noted ecologist Daniel Cohn-Bendit turned down the chance to replace Nicolas Hulot.

Mr Cohn-Bendit had quickly emerged as favourite for the position following Mr Hulot's sudden resignation live on radio last week.

But, after being initially tempted by the idea, he announced on broadcaster LCI on Sunday that he had declined the offer after talks with the President.

Mr Cohn-Bendit, who was a student leader during the unrest of May 1968 in France and was also known during that time as Dany le Rouge, admitted first thinking that it was "an attractive idea".

But, he said: "[The president] told me: "If you're a minister, you lose your personality, you no longer have that freedom, do you want that?"

"We agreed it's a bad idea. It was agreed that I would not be minister."

He suggested two people who could take on the job - former minister Pascal Canfin, who is now director general of WWF France, and Laurence Tubiana, former chief negotiator for France at COP21.

Read more: The man who sparked Hulot resignation