Minister Quits After Homeless Gaffe

In an incident that was sold by German newspapers as evidence of the disrespect some politicians have for the unemployed, the deputy leader of the German state of Bremen poured sparkling wine over the head of a homeless man in an apparent joke that went wrong and which led to his eventual resignation. Peter Gloystein of the centre-right Christian Democrat Union (CDU) was caught on camera pouring a magnum of wine over the head of stunned Bremen local Udo Ölschläger at the launch of German wine week on Wednesday evening. Gloystein, Bremen state economy and culture minister, said late on Thursday he deeply regretted the incident and apologised to his victim. He said he had "misinterpreted" the situation but did not explain what he meant. The Bremen culture ministry confirmed later that Gloystein had resigned from his various posts.