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Minister Jung Resigns amid Afghanistan Airstrike Scandal
Labor Minister Franz Josef Jung resigned ffrom Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet on Friday. The former defense minister stumbled over his handling of a controversial airstrike in Afghanistan in September. Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen will take over for him.
Did the German Government Misinform the Country?
A Thursday newspaper report accuses former German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung, now Chancellor Merkel's labor minister, of having withheld information from parliament regarding a German-ordered air attack in Afghanistan which killed dozens of civilians. The opposition is demanding that Jung resign.
That Thursday was going to be a difficult day for Germany's Labor Minister Franz Josef Jung became clear shortly after 9 a.m. this morning. In parliament, the debate over Germany's Afghanistan mission had just begun when Jung, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democats, rose from his seat and walked over to where Merkel was sitting. Merkel, though, shooed him away with a wave of her hand.
With a look of resignation, Jung made his way back to his spot, passing Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg on the way. Guttenberg didn't even so much as glance at Jung, who quietly sat down in his minister's chair.
Perhaps for the last time.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/...663820,00.html
Labor Minister Franz Josef Jung resigned ffrom Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet on Friday. The former defense minister stumbled over his handling of a controversial airstrike in Afghanistan in September. Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen will take over for him.
Did the German Government Misinform the Country?
A Thursday newspaper report accuses former German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung, now Chancellor Merkel's labor minister, of having withheld information from parliament regarding a German-ordered air attack in Afghanistan which killed dozens of civilians. The opposition is demanding that Jung resign.
That Thursday was going to be a difficult day for Germany's Labor Minister Franz Josef Jung became clear shortly after 9 a.m. this morning. In parliament, the debate over Germany's Afghanistan mission had just begun when Jung, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democats, rose from his seat and walked over to where Merkel was sitting. Merkel, though, shooed him away with a wave of her hand.
With a look of resignation, Jung made his way back to his spot, passing Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg on the way. Guttenberg didn't even so much as glance at Jung, who quietly sat down in his minister's chair.
Perhaps for the last time.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/...663820,00.html