German family minister resigns amid plagiarism claim

BERLIN (AA) - Germany’s family minister has resigned amid claims that she had plagiarized parts of her 2010 doctoral thesis.

Franziska Giffey, a Social Democrat, said in a statement that she handed in her resignation during Wednesday ’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Giffrey denied the plagiarism accusations, but said she is ready to accept the outcome of the Free University of Berlin’s third review of her doctoral thesis.

“I continue to stand by my statement that I wrote my work to the best of my knowledge and conscience,” she said in a statement.

“I regret if I made mistakes. If, in their third review of my work, the Free University of Berlin comes to the conclusion that it will revoke my academic title, I will accept this decision,” she added.

Giffrey, 43, remains the Social Democrat Party’s (SPD) lead candidate for regional elections in Berlin this September.

Giffrey said following her resignation, she will now concentrate on her election campaign.