Georges Tron, French state secretary (junior minister) for civil service accused of having sexually harassed two women, announced his resignation from the government, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said in a statement on Sunday.

"Mr Georges Tron ... today has informed Prime Minister Francois Fillon of his resignation from the government," the premier's office said in a brief statement.

"The Prime Minister, in accordance with the President of the Republic, noted this decision, which doesn't prejudice at all the following accusations given by the justice against Georges Tron, who contests the ground of it (the charges)," the statement added.

French prosecutors said Wednesday they have opened an inquiry into the allegations after the lawyer of two female ex-staff working under Tron filed complaints against him on sexual harassment.

On Saturday, the accused minister denied all the wrong doings but said he didn't want to be a burden to the government, so he was considering a resignation.

Tron was the first French senior official on fire over sex cases after the former chief of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn, one of the most influential French personality in the world, resigned over charges of an allegedly unattempted rape on a hotel maid in the United States earlier this month.

Go to Forum >>0 Comments