A member of the French Parliament has committed suicide and killed a woman over losing his position as the mayor of an eastern city.

The lawmaker, identified as Jean-Marie Demange, was said to have been 'very disturbed' after he lost his job as mayor of Thionville, AFP reported.

The 65-year-old member of the ruling Right-wing UMP party had been mayor for 13 years. He had lost the position to a Socialist in local elections in March.

He had killed the 46-year-old woman with a shot to her head at point-blank range on the balcony of her apartment, after what witnesses called a heated argument.

"I heard screams and then saw the woman come out on the balcony," said Rene Rio, a neighbor. "He beat her for at least 10 minutes. When she collapsed, he went back into the flat. Then I heard a shot."

Although early reports suggested the woman to be Demange's lover, French Prosecutor Jean-Francois Mailhes said the nature of relationship was uncertain.