French police say a former member of President Nicolas Sarkozy's government has been arrested on rape charges that forced him to resign last month.

George Tron was held for questioning Monday in connection with accusations that he sexually assaulted two women who worked in the town hall of Draveil, near Paris, where he is mayor.

Tron was forced to resign as a junior minister in Mr. Sarkozy's Cabinet but continues to serve as Draveil's mayor.

The two women allege that Tron forced them to let him give them foot massages, which turned into forced sexual encounters. He has denied the charges.

Tron's charges follow the arrest earlier this month of French politician and former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn in New York on charges of attempted rape.