Juppe: Unpopular Premier

French PM to Resign After Election Defeat

Mr Juppe told a meeting of coalition leaders that he would step down whoever wins next Sunday's parliamentary election runoff after the poor showing by the government in the first round of the poll.

"We need a new team led by a new prime minister," said Mr Juppe.

The Gaullist premier has borne the brunt of blame for austerity, high taxes and record unemployment in the two years since Chirac took office and was widely held responsible for the conservatives' poor showing in Sunday's first round.

President Chirac sacrifices his prime minister

The combined left polled four points more than the centre-right in the first round, and polling institutes projected that the opposition would win a slim majority if the voting pattern was repeated in next Sunday's runoff.

Mr Juppe is Chirac's longest-serving political associate. His decision to sacrifice himself enables Chirac to promise voters a fresh start if they re-elect the coalition rather than forcing him to "cohabit" with a hostile, Socialist-led government.

"A return to socialism would be the opposite of change. Today the President of the Republic embodies renewal and it is under his leadership that France will renew itself," said Mr Juppe in a statement.

"I trust the President of the Republic to choose the men and women who will be able to lead the French people in this new stage. As for myself, as leader of our majority and with you, I will lead this fight to the end, until success which is within our reach, after which I will consider my task has been accomplished," he added.