Berlin - A prominent Eurosceptic in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc resigned on Tuesday, saying he had come under pressure to back an extension of Greece's bailout, becoming first high-profile German politician to do so.
Peter Gauweiler, a senior member of Merkel's Bavarian allies, the Christian Social (CSU), and an outspoken critic of aid to Greece, has led efforts to block eurozone bailouts and the European Central Bank's bond-buying programme in court.
The 65-year-old said in a statement that he was resigning as a vice-chairperson of the CSU and also giving up his mandate for the Bundestag lower house of parliament.