The statement did not give any reason for the departure of Cayeux, who earlier this year had to apologise after facing criticism over comments which more than 100 French public figures had said were homophobic.

Cayeux, appointed minister for territorial cohesion as part of France's new government formed on July 4, was asked by the French Senate in July whether she maintained her opposition to the law for same-sex marriage and adoption in 2013.

At the time, she called the reform a "caprice" and a "plan that goes against nature". Cayeux initially stood by what she said, adding: "I have a lot of friends among those people." Two days later she apologised for her remarks.

(Reporting by Blandine Henault and Nicolas Delame;Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta/Ingrid Melander)