Bärbel Bas resigns as German minister and SPD co-leader

Bärbel Bas has resigned as Germany’s labour minister and co-leader of the Social Democratic Party, saying she needs time to grieve after her stepdaughter’s death and pointing to political attacks during her bereavement. The departure leaves the governing coalition facing a ministerial change and an impending contest over the SPD’s leadership. In a statement posted on Facebook, Bas said she needed time to come to terms with her grief. She also said public attacks, including from members of the Christian Democratic Union, had intensified during what she described as a difficult period. Some CDU politicians had criticised her absences during economic reform discussions. The reports do not establish a complete record of the remarks she was referring to. Lars Klingbeil, the SPD’s other co-leader and Germany’s vice-chancellor, condemned the criticism and cancelled a planned trip to India after Bas resigned. Chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked Bas for her work and offered condolences to her family. Bas will retain her seat in the Bundestag.