German defence minister resigns over copied PhD

The German defence minister has resigned after he was found to have copied large parts of his university doctorate.

Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg was considered until recently a possible candidate for chancellor.

He has already been stripped of his PhD.

More than 20,000 German academics wrote to Chancellor Angela Merkel complaining that he was still in his job.

He told now told a news conference that he is resigning from all political offices.