Economics Minister to Retire from Politics

Wolfgang Clement, the outgoing vice-chairman of the Social Democratic Party and economics and labor minister, has confirmed that he will retire from all party and government offices. "I am campaigning for nothing," he said and ruled out seeking a new mandate as deputy party chief or any other position. Clement had earlier announced he was leaving the government after the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats came to an agreement to split his portfolio in two under a grand coalition and have separate economics and labor ministries.