Centre-right UMP party of French president Nicolas Sarkozy won a comfortable legislative majority at Sunday's second round of parliamentary elections, but the cabinet received a blow after Alain Juppe had to step down as energy and environment minister.

Former prime minister Juppe quit after his bid to win re-election in his home constituency in Bordeaux was defeated by a narrow margin.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon said before the polls all ministers who failed to make the parliamentary benches would have to tender their resignations as cabinet members.

He now has to replace the man that was to be his second-in-command, tempering UMP's joy at retaining power - the first time in thirty years that the ruling party did not have to hand over the reigns of government.

Despite managing the feat, the expectations before the second round were for an even greater majority, one that would give UMP more than 400 MPs in the 577-seat legislature.

Instead, the party saw its majority shrink from 359 to 314, as voters were left unimpressed by the cabinet's plans to introduce a new sales tax.

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