German labour minister steps down after stepdaughter’s death and political attacks

Germany’s labour minister Bärbel Bas has resigned from government and stepped down as co-leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), citing her stepdaughter’s death and growing political attacks.

In a Facebook statement, Bas said: “After my stepdaughter’s death, I realised that I need time to come to terms with my grief.”

She also criticised attacks from members of Merz’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), saying they “continued to intensify during this difficult time for me personally”.

Some CDU politicians had questioned her absence during important economic reform discussions despite knowing about her family bereavement.

SPD co-leader and Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil condemned the criticism as “indecent” and cancelled a planned trip to India following her resignation.

Her departure dealt another blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s struggling coalition government.

Merz thanked Bas for her service and offered condolences to her family.

The resignation comes as Germany’s coalition faces disagreements over economic reforms, welfare spending and proposed changes to the pension system.

Merz has pushed for spending cuts, while the SPD has defended workers’ rights and social benefits.