After a nine month stint, CNCpresident Catherine Colonna has been named deputy minister of European Affairsby president Jacques Chirac's government.

The news comes following France's "no" vote on the EuropeanConstitution and a flurry of musical chairs at the highest political levels.

Colonna, formerly the spokesperson for the Elysee Palace -France's equivalent to the White House took over the CNC post in September2004.

She is the firstCNC president in recent memory to leave the post after such a short time. TheCNC was unavailable for comment Thursday night regarding a potentialreplacement.