French politician admits homosexuality

A senior politician in France, Andre Labarrere, has admitted his homosexuality in an interview given to French radio.

Mr Labarrere, who served as a minister in several Socialist governments in the 1980s, first revealed his homosexuality in a novel "Le Baron Rouge".

Mr Labarrere said although it was a completely taboo subject, his novel had allowed him to show the problems a homosexual can experience in French political life.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service