Germany's labour minister Franz Josef Jung will offer to step down following criticism of his former role as defence minister during the Afghanistan conflict, sources in the ruling coalition said today.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said family minister Ursula von der Leyen would take over as labour minister.
Mr Jung was defence minister when German forces called in an air strike in Kunduz on September 4th that the Afghan government say killed 69 Taliban fighters and 30 civilians.
Mr Jung, who switched to the labour ministry last month, had repeatedly denied civilians were killed in the attack, which has strengthened opposition to Germany's presence in Afghanistan.
Yesterday, Mr Jung admitted in parliament he had known for weeks of the existence of a military report that pointed to the civilian deaths. That raised pressure on him to resign.
Germany's armed forces chief, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, resigned yesterday after accusations the military withheld information about an air strike in Afghanistan.
The September 4th strike was the most deadly operation involving German troops since the second World War.
Ms Von der Leyen, who was reappointed as family minister last month when Ms Merkel won a second term, will take over the ministry at a crucial time. Keeping unemployment under control is one of Merkel's top priorities as Germany emerges from recession.
A trained doctor with seven children, Ms von der Leyen is one of Germany's most popular politicians and has won credit for introducing measures to try to boost Germany's birth rate as family minister.
She belongs to Ms Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), who share power with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP).
"With her experience as ... family minister, she has all the qualities needed to execute this important government job successfully," said Ms Merkel.
Kristina Koehler (32) replaces von der Leyen at the family ministry and becomes the cabinet's youngest minister. A CDU lawmaker from the western state of Hesse, she has until now specialised in integration matters.
Ms Merkel said the new ministers would take up their posts on Monday.
Reuters