A senior figure in a German political party has resigned amidst a furor over an internal document that discussed the party's potential exit from the government. The individual, who held the position of general secretary, cited the need to take political responsibility and prevent damage to their credibility and that of the party.
The controversy has added complexity to the Free Democrats' campaign for an upcoming election, with polls indicating a risk of falling short of the required support threshold for parliamentary representation.
The situation unfolded following the dismissal of the party's leader as finance minister, which led to the Free Democrats withdrawing from the coalition government, leaving the Chancellor without a parliamentary majority.
As a result, a confidence vote is scheduled for December 16, with expectations that the Chancellor will lose, triggering an election on February 23.
The collapse of the coalition has sparked blame-shifting between key figures, with reports emerging of an internal strategy document outlining plans for the Free Democrats to exit the government. The document, titled 'D-Day process scenario and measures,' drew criticism both internally and externally for its language and implications.
The resignation of the general secretary came after it was revealed that he had denied knowledge of the internal document, only to later acknowledge its existence and issue an apology for providing false information.
The party clarified that the document was initially drafted on October 24 and last updated on November 5, shedding light on the timeline of events surrounding the controversy.
