Marseille: Local mayor suspended after cheating at pétanque

Mayor Jean-Robert Louis found himself in the midst of a heated political scandal when video emerged of the local politician subtly kicking a petanque ball closer to the cochonnet during his daily game of pétanque near the old port of Marseille. The mayor regularly plays with his cabinet of close advisors during weekday afternoons after lunch, which he says relaxes him before the apéritif. The video has prompted some to call for the mayor’s resignation, saying that such dishonesty in a game of boules is a sure indication of dishonesty in office. The mayor claims the video was taken out of context. Still, a committee has been formed and plans to waste many taxpayer euros in an attempt to clear up the matter.

In the meantime, the mayor has been suspended indefinitely, and came to city hall this morning to fetch his set of balls and a bottle of Pastis.