German minister resigns in blow to new Merkel government

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By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - A senior German minister resigned on Friday 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, the latest in a series of cabinet departures under Merkel, 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. Merkel said she had accepted Friedrich's resignation "with great respect and great regret", adding that it was too early to discuss who would succeed him. The resignation follows questions about whether Friedrich, a member of Merkel's Bavarian sister party, inappropriately passed on confidential information about a looming investigation into a prominent Social Democrat (SPD) lawmaker to the leader of the SPD.




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