On 2026-10-21 Bärbel Bas announced that she would leave her dual roles as chair of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and as Germany’s Federal Minister of Labour. In a written statement she said that she currently lacks the strength to carry out her governmental and party duties in full, and that she has therefore decided to give up both offices. She cited the recent death of her stepdaughter as the primary reason, noting she needs time to grieve.
Bas also noted that public attacks, especially from her coalition partners, had added significant pressure during this difficult period. She pointed to criticism from the Union parties (CDU/CSU) that she had not presented legislative drafts quickly enough, particularly on pension reforms. Bas said the main reason for her resignation was the need to grieve her stepdaughter's death.
In the wake of the announcement, Friedrich Merz, the leader of the opposition Union faction, took to the platform X to express his sympathy. Merz, speaking as a father and grandfather, said he could only imagine how heavy such a loss weighs and wished Bas and her family strength.
Bas said the main reason for her resignation was the need to grieve her stepdaughter's death.