A French mayor died in an apparent suicide shortly after losing his position in municipal elections, echoing a similar tragedy involving his predecessor.

Christian Berçaïts, the 62-year-old mayor of Viodos-Abense-de-Bas in southwestern France, was found dead with a gunshot wound on Monday morning after losing the municipal election to Hervé Moutrous with 44.5% of the vote versus 55.5% the day before.