Appointed head of the Monaco government, Philippe Mettoux resigns before even taking office...

State Councillor Philippe Mettoux, chosen in early June by Prince Albert II of Monaco to lead his government, announced Thursday evening that he was stepping down, barely a week before he was due to take office, citing internal obstacles to his mission.

"It is clear from various discussions I have had recently that negative and opposing forces are already at work to perpetuate the archaic practices of the past and prevent me from successfully carrying out the mission that Prince Albert has entrusted to me," he said in a statement to AFP.