Westerwelle to quit as FDP party leader

Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s foreign minister and vice-chancellor, announced on the 3 April 2011 his decision to quit as leader of the liberal Free Democratic party, junior partner in the coalition government headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Angela Merkel was said to be worried about her junior coalition partner, the Free Democrats, who were in turmoil following regional election defeats. The departure of Guido Westerwelle as FDP leader deprived her of a close ally. The FDP's crisis was seen to be her crisis, too - which meants it would be harder to govern.

Spiegel Online International, 5.4.11: FDP Turmoil Spells Trouble for Merkel http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,755137,00.html

Frankfurter Rundschau, 3.4.11: Exit Guido-the-'millstone' (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/582181-exit-guido-millstone

BBC News, 4.4.11: German chancellor's deputy Westerwelle quits http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12955699

Deutsche Welle, 4.4.11: Liberal leadership battle after foreign minister quits as party head http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6493181,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 5.4.11: German health minister to be new FDP chairman http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14967764,00.html

ESO: Background information: Germany: The lights go out / Berlin shifts stance on nuclear power http://www.europeansources.info/record/germany-the-lights-go-out-berlin-shifts-stance-on-nuclear-power/

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