German Labor Minister Franz Josef Jung resigned from Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet on Friday. The former defense minister stumbled over his handling of a controversial air strike in Afghanistan in September. Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen will take over for him.

Former German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung spent Thursday trying to hold on to his position as labor minister. But on Friday, after widespread calls that he throw in the towel, he gave in. Ulrich Wilhelm, the government's spokesman, confirmed before gathered journalists in Berlin that Jung will no longer be a part of Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet.

On Thursday evening, Jung had defended his handling of a controversial air strike in Afghanistan in September. But his defense appeared to rely on his not having read important documents related to the attack before he passed them along to NATO, leading to an increase in opposition calls for his head. The defense committee in the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, is set to meet to discuss the scandal.

In a brief statement on Friday, Jung said he was taking "political responsibility" for having misinformed the German public due to, he claims, a lack of knowledge regarding civilian casualties stemming from a Sept. 4 air strike Afghanistan. He repeated his Thursday claim that he had "correctly informed both the public and the parliament" to the best of his knowledge at the time.

Germany's top soldier, Bundeswehr Inspector General Wolfgang Schneiderhan, and Deputy Defense Minister Peter Wichert, resigned on Thursday. Having taken over the Defense Ministry in 2005, Jung moved over to head the Labor Ministry following Merkel's re-election in September. His Friday resignation came after just 30 days at his new job.