German labour minister Bärbel Bas resigns after stepdaughter's death

Bärbel Bas resigned as Germany's federal labour minister and as co-chair of the Social Democrats (SPD) on 12 October. In a personal statement, she said she was laying down the SPD chairmanship with effect from that day and had asked Chancellor Friedrich Merz to dismiss her from the labour ministry, according to Die Welt. She said she had informed her co-chair Lars Klingbeil.

Bas, 58, cited grief over the death of her stepdaughter. "After the death of my stepdaughter I realised that I need time to process the grief. I want to take that time. Since I currently cannot muster the strength to carry out my government and party work fully at short notice, I have decided to give up both offices," she said, according to Die Welt.

The SPD confirmed to the news agency Reuters that Alexander Schweitzer, the SPD parliamentary group leader in Rhineland-Palatinate, will succeed Bas at the labour ministry. Die Welt reported that Bild deputy editor-in-chief Paul Ronzheimer and the WELT podcast "Machtwechsel" had reported the appointment earlier. FAZ's liveblog also reported that Schweitzer was set to take over the ministry. Who takes over the SPD co-chairmanship is still open, Die Welt reported.

Klingbeil said he was "very sad" about the decision: "Behind the offices we are all just people. That is why I can personally understand her step." He called the attacks against Bas in the last days of her mourning "indecent", according to Die Welt. Politico reported that Klingbeil cancelled a planned trip to India because of the personnel decision.

Bas also criticised the coalition partner. She said public attacks on her had intensified during this personally difficult period, "unfortunately also from the ranks of the coalition partner", according to Die Welt. Manuela Schwesig, the SPD state premier of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said in a post on X: "The attacks of the CDU – despite her difficult personal situation – were inhumane and reckless", according to Die Welt.

Die Welt reported that the Union had increased pressure on Bas to present draft laws for pension and labour market reforms. It also reported that the SPD, after lost state elections, had said reforms must not be tied solely to cuts.