Deputy Prime Minister Australia gets up because of affair

sydney - The Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has announced his resignation. The leader of the conservative National Party was under fire after it became known that he had an extramarital affair with an employee who is pregnant with him. He also starts Monday as party leader.

Because of the affair there was a great disagreement in the coalition. Joyce initially refused to resign. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull came last week with a ban on sexual relations between members of government and their immediate employees, after he had called Joyce's behavior an 'appallingly big mistake'.

The center-right coalition of Turnbull has only a majority of one seat. Because Joyce returns to parliament, the coalition holds its narrow majority.