Scholz’s wife steps down as minister in German state

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s wife says she is stepping down as the education minister of the region where the couple lives, citing disagreement in her party over a policy proposal. Britta Ernst has been education minister in the eastern state of Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin, since 2017. Like Scholz, she is a member of the center-left Social Democrats. Ernst said it had always been “a great honor and pleasure” to lead her ministry. But she told reporters on Monday that “great unity” is needed to deal with the challenges it faces. Ernst’s work is separate from that of her husband. In Germany, education is almost entirely the responsibility of the country’s 16 state governments.