Another German minister resigns

BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has lost a second government minister in a week.

Culture Minister Michael Naumann, 58, has announced he is standing down to become co-publisher of the weekly newspaper Die Zeit, where he worked as a journalist in the 1970s and 1980s.

The announcement, confirming media reports, was made at a joint news conference with Schroeder on Thursday.

It follows the forced departure of Transport Minister Reinhard Klimmt last week, who was fined for his involvement in a fraud case involving a football club.

But Schroeder insists he is not intending to reshuffle his cabinet.

"Let me say clearly there are no plans for a reshuffle," he told reporters.

"It is always possible there will be one person or another who will decide to take an offer from the outside. But let me head off speculation by saying I do not know of any such possibilities."

CNN's Berlin bureau chief Chris Burns said Naumann's decision does not arise from disenchantment with the government. He is widely seen as taking a job opportunity that may not be available when his term as culture minister comes to an end in two years.

The chancellor said he deeply regretted Naumann's departure but understood that he was leaving to take up what for a journalist was "a dream job."

The post pays a reported DM1.2 million ($500,000) -- four times his current earnings.

Naumann is to be replaced by Julian Nida-Ruemelin, 46, who is currently a culture official in Munich.

Naumann said he had been happy to be part of the Schroeder government, which was formed after the left-wing general election victory of September 1998.

Half way through the four-year term, there have been no major changes.

Before Klimmt, Finance Minister Oskar Lafontaine quit in frustration at Schroeder's policies, Transport Minister Franz Muentefering left to become a campaign manager of Schroeder's Social Democrats and Chancellery Minister Bodo Hombach resigned to lead the European Union Balkans Stability Pact.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Schroeder minister faces embezzlement charges
November 9, 2000

Federal German Parliament
Social Democratic Party (SPD)

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