谷垣禎一幹事長に「不運」と同情の声、事故で安倍晋三首相に辞意伝える

8月3日には内閣改造が予定されている。

サイクリング中の転倒で頸髄(けいずい)を損傷し、入院中の谷垣禎一幹事長が安倍晋三首相に辞意を伝えていたことが分かった。時事通信などが自民党関係者の話として報じた。安倍首相は留任させたい意向だが、職務復帰のめどが立っていないため交代も含めて検討するという。8月3日には内閣改造が予定されている。

谷垣氏は、7月16日、都内でサイクリング中に転倒し、頸髄損傷で入院していた。時事通信によると、入院後すぐに「もう党務は続けられない。後任の人選を急いでほしい」と伝えたという。安倍首相の周囲では、党運営の手腕を高く評価している谷垣氏を慰留するため、9月に召集予定の臨時国会までは代行者を立てることも検討しているが、谷垣氏側が受け入れないとの見方が広がっているという。

朝日新聞デジタルによると、谷垣氏はイタリア製のロードバイクを複数台所有するなど、政界きっての自転車愛好家。自民党総裁を務めていた2009年11月にも、対向自転車と衝突して左ほおを縫うけがを負ったことがある。

■Twitter上には同情の声も多数

谷垣氏は自民党が下野した2009年9月から自民党総裁を務めた。2012年の総裁選では一度は再選を目指すも立候補を断念し退任。直後の選挙で自民党は政権を奪還し、第2次安倍晋三内閣が誕生した。しかし、谷垣氏は内閣総理大臣に就任しなかった河野洋平氏以来、2人目の自民党総裁となった。その過去と合わせて、「不運」との同情の声がネットでは広がっている。

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