Schroeder quits as party leader

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is stepping aside as chairman of his Social Democratic Party, a move that comes amid stubbornly low poll ratings and squabbling over the government’s future reform course.

Schroeder will remain as chancellor, but said in Berlin today he would hand over the party chairmanship in March to Franz Muentefering, the leader of the Social Democrats’ group in parliament.