Bärbel Bas has resigned as Germany’s labour minister and as co-leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the party is now debating who should lead it next. Tagesschau reports that several names are in circulation, but nobody has formally declared a candidacy, and co-leader Lars Klingbeil has not said whether he will stand again.
What happened
According to tagesschau, Bas announced on Monday, without warning, that she was stepping down as Arbeitsministerin (Federal Minister of Labour) and as co-chair of the SPD. She cited a bereavement in her family and attacks “from the ranks of the coalition partner”. Alexander Schweitzer, the former Ministerpräsident (state premier) of Rhineland-Palatinate, has taken over the ministry.
The party leadership is a different matter. The SPD is led by a Doppelspitze (a dual leadership of two co-chairs), and with Bas gone, Klingbeil is the only one left. He has said he wants to keep the two-leader model. On Monday he proposed a Parteitag (party congress) “around the turn of the year”, where “the entire leadership of the SPD” would be up for election. Tagesschau reports that dates in December and January are being considered, with February as a fallback.
Klingbeil, who is also Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor, has left his own plans open. “I know what criticism there is,” he told the broadcaster ZDF. “This is not about me, and it is not about clinging to office, but about putting together the best possible team.” He made the same point in interviews with ARD. Tagesschau notes that he intends to stay on as Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor even if he is no longer party leader after the congress. It also reports that party members have repeatedly criticised the Klingbeil and Bas pairing in recent months as the SPD’s poll ratings have fallen.
Several possible successors have already ruled themselves out. Manuela Schwesig, Ministerpräsidentin of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, told the broadcaster NDR that she is busy with the government formation currently under way in her state. Ulf Kämpfer, the SPD’s state chair in Schleswig-Holstein, had suggested her as part of a future dual leadership. Anke Rehlinger, who heads the government of Saarland, told the broadcaster SR that she wants to keep running her state.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, whom tagesschau describes as Germany’s most popular politician for years, was the most direct. Speaking at the employers’ day of the BDA (the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations), he said: “I will definitely not stand as party leader, because I am fully occupied with my task of guaranteeing the security of this country, to say it clearly once and for all.” He backs Klingbeil standing again. Former labour minister Hubertus Heil had already dismissed talk of a bid of his own on the ZDF programme Lanz at the end of September, before Bas resigned.
Others in the party have come out in support of Klingbeil. Matthias Miersch, leader of the SPD’s group in the Bundestag (the federal parliament), called him “a very good party leader” but said candidates would be able to register “right up to the end”, which leaves room for a contested vote. Deputy parliamentary group leaders Esra Limbacher and Siemtje Möller also backed him, and Limbacher warned against a long debate over personnel. Speaking on Welt TV, Limbacher said very few people are worrying about who leads the SPD and that most care “above all about how things go on in our country”.
Philipp Türmer, head of the Jusos (the SPD’s youth organisation), sees the congress as a chance for a fresh start. He told the newspapers of the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland: “We need a plan and ideas for the future again, and people who stand for them credibly.”
Why it matters if you live in Germany
The SPD is part of the federal government, so this goes beyond an internal party matter. The labour ministry, which covers employment, pensions and social policy, now has a new minister in Alexander Schweitzer. If you are a worker, jobseeker or benefit recipient, it is worth following which priorities he sets once he takes office.
The resignation also points to tension inside the governing coalition. Bas named attacks from the coalition partner as one reason for leaving, and she was one of the SPD’s most senior members of the cabinet. How the SPD resets its leadership could affect how smoothly the government works in the months ahead.
The congress could also change how the party is run. Kämpfer told tagesschau’s sources that, looking back, it was a mistake for both party leaders to sit in the Bundeskabinett (the federal cabinet), and that this should not happen again. If the SPD follows that advice, its future leaders may sit outside the government. That would separate the party’s public voice from the ministers who make policy.
What to watch next
The first thing to watch is the date of the congress, which tagesschau says will fall in December, January or, if necessary, February. The second is whether Klingbeil formally announces a candidacy, and who joins him or challenges him for the second seat in the dual leadership. Miersch has made clear that candidacies will be accepted until late in the process, so a contested vote is still possible.
Also watch whether the party adopts the call from the states to keep the party leadership and government posts apart. Watch too for any further sign of strain with the coalition partner after the reasons Bas gave for her departure.
Source: tagesschau
Sources
- tagesschau: Nach Rücktritt von Bas: SPD sucht neue Vorsitzende, accessed 13 October 2026
Germany, for internationals
One email a week: the week's news for internationals in Germany, new practical guides and what changed in the cities. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
