The main opposition party in Germany, the Christian Democrats, is holding a crisis meeting over a funding scandal, which has led to calls for the resignation of senior party leaders.

A former interior minister, Manfred Kanther, has resigned from parliament over allegations that his party group in the state of Hesse got round the rules by placing its funds abroad.

But the party leader, Wolfgang Schaeuble, and the former Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, have rejected calls that they resign for failing to declare large donations to central party funds.

The BBC Berlin Correspondent says the Christian Democrats have realised someone at the top has to be seen taking responsibility.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service