Islamophobia threatens global peace and coexistence, not just Muslims, says MWL chief at UN    Power bank likely caused South Korea plane fire, investigators say    Gold prices hit $3,000 for the first time as investors push the panic button    Hungary drops veto and agrees to prolong EU sanctions on Russian individuals    China hits out at 'threats of force' on Iran as Trump pushes for new nuclear deal    Makkah Lanterns Festival returns for the eighth year as part of Ramadan activities    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Saudi Arabia welcomes border agreement between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan    Saudi ambassadors take oath before Crown Prince    16 endangered species released into AlUla's Protected Areas    Saudi Crown Prince reaffirms support for a political solution to Ukraine crisis in call with Putin Putin praises Saudi Arabia's constructive role and mediation efforts    NCM forecast: Thunderstorms to hit most Saudi regions until Monday    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Al Hilal crushes Pakhtakor to storm into AFC Champions League quarter-finals    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



German minister Westerwelle resigns as party leader
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 03 - 04 - 2011

Akhir 29, 1432 / April 03, 2011, SPA -- German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle
announced Sunday he would step down in May as leader of the Free
Democratic Party (FDP), the junior partner in Chancellor Angela
Merkel's ruling coalition, according to dpa.
But he said he intended to stay on as foreign minister.
The FDP national executive is to meet in Berlin on Monday to
consider his offer, which could lead to a cabinet reshuffle, but is
not expected to shake the Merkel government.
Westerwelle has faced relentless pressure all week to resign his
leadership of the pro-business party and let someone else take on the
task after its vote share crashed in two state elections on March 27.
In the biggest of those polls, the FDP share was halved in the
state of Baden-Wuerttemberg to 5.3 per cent, compared to five years
ago.
Party activists have blamed Westerwelle, FDP leader for 10 years,
for the decline.
"I can assure you that this is obviously an unusual day, an
unusual day even for me," said Westerwelle, 49, tensely, saying his
party needed to hand over to a new, younger generation.
"This is hard to do because one is passionately involved after 10
years as party leader," he said.
Federal Health Minister Philipp Roesler, 38, seen by Berlin
insiders as the front-runner to replace Westerwelle as party leader,
called in an interview for a change in direction at the FDP.
"It's a question of regaining lost credibility. For the sake of
the party, we have to work together," he told the newspaper Bild am
Sonntag.
Whoever is picked by the FDP inner circle as new leader is
expected to rule de facto from the coming week, with a party
conference in May likely to rubber stamp the selection.
Westerwelle said he would remain foreign minister, but made no
mention of keeping his title of deputy chancellor.
The new party leader would probably acquire that rank and be free
to chose which cabinet portfolio to take as his own.
The foreign minister has faced low popularity ratings among
Germans across the political spectrum for a year.
Conservatives were upset last month when he instructed German
diplomats to abstain in a UN Security Council vote on imposing a no-
fly zone over Libya, breaking ranks with the western alliance.
Critics say Westerwelle's attack-dog style of politics helped him
advance as an opposition politician, but antagonized many Germans
when he became foreign minister and continued to stridently demand
tax cuts for small business and the middle class.
Aides said he worked the phones from Berlin all Sunday, speaking
to former provincial supporters, before accepting that his post as
party leader was untenable.
The three opposition parties, the Social Democrats, the Greens and
the Left, called for Westerwelle to resign the Foreign Ministry as
well.
"He can't stay on in the one post and not the other. This is a
matter of German standing in the world," said Renate Kuenast and
Juergen Trittin, the Greens parliamentary co-leaders.
The German media, who have given Westerwelle persistently negative
coverage, have already identified potential replacements as foreign
minister, including Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, 44, a member of the
European Parliament and a diplomat by training.
Westerwelle's departure leaves Economics Minister Rainer
Bruederle, 65, who is a deputy leader of the party, in a shaky
position, with his support within the party uncertain.


Clic here to read the story from its source.