Two French Ministers resign over spending

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked two of his ministers to resign, after they spent public funds for their personal use.



The issue has sparked much controversy, as the French public has been faced with steep budget cuts.



Development Minister, Alain Joyandet, and Christian Blanc, a junior minister, have both been asked to step down.



In March, the development minister was criticised for spending the equivalent of US$157,000 to hire a private plane to take him to Martinique for an emergency meeting on the earthquake in Haiti.



Last month Blanc came under fire after it emerged that he had spent $14,000 of taxpayers' money on Cuban cigars.



Mr Sarkozy has ordered his prime minister to crack down on government perks by restricting use of official planes and cars and scrapping parties.