Germany's family minister steps down after holiday controversy

German Family Minister Anne Spiegel said on Monday she had decided to step down after controversy over her decision to go on holiday last year just after devastating floods in the state where she was then serving as a senior official.

She is the first minister to quit Chancellor Olaf Scholz's federal government.

"Today, due to political pressure, I have decided to stand down from the office of Federal Minister for Family Affairs," Spiegel said in a statement. "I am doing this to avert damage to the office, which is facing major political challenges." (Writing by Paul Carrel, editing by Kirsti Knolle)