Sarkozy's party loses by-election amid scandal

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party lost a parliamentary by-election in an ultra-safe conservative seat on Sunday amid a scandal over alleged illegal campaign donations.

Green candidate Anny Poursinoff, backed by the opposition Socialists, beat the UMP incumbent in the Rambouillet constituency southwest of Paris by 51.7% to 48.3% on a very low 26.8% turnout. (Reuters)