(Reuters) - France's ruling Socialists rushed to condemn an aging former minister from among their ranks on Monday after he suggested Prime Minister Manuel Valls was probably acting under Jewish "influence".

Valls has been vocal in his defense of Jews in France, both before and after the January Islamist attacks that killed 17 people, including four Jews.

Roland Dumas, 92, who twice served as foreign minister under François Mitterrand, criticized Valls, saying the prime minister "has personal alliances that mean he has prejudices."

"Everyone knows he is married to someone really good but who has an influence on him," Dumas told BFM-TV, without mentioning the name of Valls' Jewish wife, a violinist.

Pressed to answer the question "Is he under a Jewish influence?" Dumas responded, "Probably, I would think so."