The junior French minister in charge of overseas territories, Christian Estrosi, has announced his resignation after becoming the mayor of Nice.
Mr Estrosi said before the municipal elections that he would focus on Nice alone if he won the mayoralty.
His departure comes less than a year after being given the portfolio which saw him push for major reforms in French Polynesia that led to early elections last month.
In New Caledonia, he had a disagreement with the French high commissioner, Michel Mathieu, who subsequently resigned.
