The issue here is not primarily that the minister for education and science should have a PhD. The scandal here is that Annette Schavan claims that she did not

The issue here is not primarily that the minister for education and science should have a PhD. The scandal here is that Annette Schavan claims that she did not plagiarize when it is obvious that she did. When the university rescinded her doctorate, she announced to sue it. A minister who is unable to accept a university's (rightful) decision undermines their independence. For me, the most egregious part of this affair was that several officials of big research organizations - who get a majority of their budget from the federal ministry - defended Schavan and attacked the university.