Bärbel Bas, a longstanding top official with Social Democrats (SPD), resigned her post on Monday citing the death of her stepdaughter and “open attacks” within Germany’s ruling coalition of the SPD and Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrat (CDU) bloc.
“I am currently unable to muster the strength to fully carry out my government and party duties on short notice, I have decided to step down from both offices,” the 58-year-old said.
She is to be replaced by Alexander Schweitzer, the former SPD premier of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Who is Bärbel Bas?
A member of the parliament since 2009, Bas’ star began to rise when she became president of the Bundestag in 2021 under the SPD-led coalition of former Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Within her center-left party, Bas has been among its more progressive members.
Following the collapse of Scholz’s government, the SPD became the junior coalition partners to Merz’s conservative bloc.
She served as president of the Bundestag until 2025, when she became Merz’s labor minister as well as co-leader of her party alongisde Lars Klingbeil.
Why is she resigning now?
After being widowed in 2020, Bas said her stepdaughter recently passed away. The outgoing labor minister said she needed time to process her grief, and that her party deserved strong leadership.
She added that recent infighting between the SPD and CDU over various policy matters hastened her decision.
The CDU has accused Bas of delayed or blocking several reforms the conservatives are keen to pass, including changes to Germany’s struggling pension system and employment laws.
Bas said that she informed both Chancellor Merz and Lars Klingbeil before issuing her public statement.
Merz thanked Bas for her “trustworthy cooperation” and said he respected her decision.
Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez
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