German labour minister to quit after stepdaughter’s death
Baerbel Bas, Germany's labour minister and co-head of the centre-left SPD, resigned from both posts on Monday, citing the death of her stepdaughter and mounting political attacks against her, dealing a blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition government.
Baerbel Bas, Germany's Labour Minister and co-head of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), announced her resignation on Monday due to the death of her stepdaughter and the mounting political attacks she faced. In her statement, Bas revealed that the loss of her stepdaughter had prompted her to seek time to process her grief. She also mentioned the surge in public hostility towards her, including remarks from conservative CDU/CSU bloc members and the SPD's coalition partners.
Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, the SPD's other co-leader, expressed disapproval of the derogatory attacks directed towards Bas during her period of mourning. In response, Klingbeil's finance ministry declared that he would cancel a planned trip to India, set to begin later that day.
Bas' decision to step down puts additional strain on Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition government, which has been experiencing a decline in public opinion polls. The pressure on the government intensified following recent regional elections, where the far-right and far-left parties made significant gains. The coalition partners have been collaborating on reforms to Germany's pay-as-you-go retirement system to tackle demographic challenges, a crucial aspect of their broader economic and social reform agenda.
Bas had faced criticism from lower ranks within the conservative party block for delays in implementing the pension overhaul, which aimed to adhere to recommendations from an expert commission. Chancellor Merz adopted a conciliatory tone on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, acknowledging Bas' resignation with respect and thanking her for her dedication and their strong partnership.
The SPD has announced that Alexander Schweitzer, the former state premier of Rhineland-Palatinate and one of the party's deputy leaders, will assume Bas' role as Labour Minister. It remains uncertain who will succeed Bas as the SPD's co-leader. Notably, Bas stated that she would retain her position in parliament.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
