BERLIN: A senior German minister resigned yesterday amid accusations he leaked confidential information about a fellow lawmaker suspected of possessing child pornography, dealing a blow to Chancellor Angela Merkel and her two-month old government.
The resignation of Agriculture Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich could aggravate tensions in Berlin’s new “grand coalition” at a time when it is trying to push through complex reforms of pensions and renewable energy.
“The pressure on me has grown so much in the last couple of hours that I no longer think I can do the job in the argriculture ministry with the required concentration, calm and political support,” Friedrich told a hastily-called news conference.
It emerged this week that the SPD lawmaker, Sebastian Edathy, is the target of an investigation by prosecutors, who suspect him of being in possession of child pornography, an accusation he has vigorously denied.
The 44-year-old Edathy resigned from parliament last week, citing health reasons, and has threatened to sue a newspaper that reported on the probe earlier this week.
What started as a small domestic scandal about a member of parliament erupted into a major political scandal on Thursday when it emerged that Friedrich, who was interior minister until December, had informed SPD chairman Sigmar Gabriel in October that Edathy could become the target of a probe.
UK political donor, son arrested in Rolls-Royce probe
LONDON: An Indian-born donor to one of Britain’s ruling political parties and his son were arrested earlier this week as part of a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into Rolls-Royce’s dealings in Asia.
A spokesman for Sudhir Choudhrie, who holds British citizenship, and his son Bhanu confirmed a report of their arrest by the SFO in the Financial Times.
Both men have denied any wrongdoing and have been released on bail, their spokesman said yesterday. The SFO said yesterday it had arrested two men in connection with one of its investigations, but did not disclose their identities.
A source said at the time that the SFO arrests were connected to the investigation into Rolls-Royce. The SFO investigation comes at a tough time for Rolls-Royce, the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines behind General Electric.
Its shares suffered their biggest one-day plunge for more than 13 years on Thursday after the company said defence cuts in the US and Europe would halt its decade-long run of profit growth this year.
Agencies
