French minister resigns after luxury dinners scandal

PARIS — France’s Environment Minister Francois de Rugy on Tuesday said he was resigning after reports accusing him of extravagant spending, including on luxury dinners, but lashed out at what he described as a “media lynching.”

“The attacks and media lynching targeting my family force me to take the necessary step back… I presented my resignation to the prime minister this morning,” said Rugy, who also held the post of minister of the state which made him the number two in the government after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. /kga