[Tolo News] German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg resigned on Tuesday after admitting to have copied part of a doctorate thesis. "I was always ready to fight but I've reached the limit of my powers," Rooters quote Guttenberg, 39, as saying in a news briefing at the Defence Ministry in Berlin.
"I informed the chancellor in a very friendly conversation that I'm resigning from political offices and requested to be relieved. It's the most painful step of my life," Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said.
German Defence Minister had been accused of copying parts of his doctorate thesis without correct attribution and the German media had also nicknamed him Zu Copyberg and Zu Googleberg.
Guttenberg has admitted flaw in his dissertation, but has denied having plagiarised.
Guttenberg was the most popular member of Chancellor Merkel's cabinet and his loss is believed to be a severe blow to her party.
He last visited German troops in Afghanistan in mid February.
It is not clear whether the big shift in German defence leadership would lead to any change in German military involvement in Afghanistan.
Germany is one of the biggest troop contributing countries to the Nato-led mission in Afghanistan, and has nearly 5,000 troops mainly stationed in northern parts of the country.