Politics · Germany · 2 hrs ago
Merz rejects criticism of CDU’s treatment of former minister Bärbel Bas
Bärbel Bas resigned as Germany’s labour minister after her stepdaughter died following a serious illness.
Bas said public criticism from members of the governing coalition had continued during this difficult time.
SPD leaders Lars Klingbeil and Manuela Schwesig accused the CDU of treating her harshly and called the criticism inhumane and inconsiderate.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected the charge, saying he had asked his party to show personal and Christian compassion for Bas.
The CDU says its criticism concerned delayed legislation, including a long-awaited pension reform.
CDU lawmakers have called on Schwesig to apologise and accused the SPD of attacking the party while overlooking its own criticism of Bas.
Alexander Schweitzer is due to be sworn in as the new labour minister, while the dispute continues.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejected claims that the CDU failed to show personal consideration for former Labour Minister Bärbel Bas.
Bas said public attacks against her continued during a difficult period that included the death of her stepdaughter.
SPD leaders Manuela Schwesig and Lars Klingbeil criticized the Union’s treatment of Bas.
Merz said he had urged his party to show personal and Christian consideration, while CDU figures countered the SPD’s criticism.
The dispute also concerns criticism of delayed legislation, including pension reform proposals.
- Who
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz and CDU figures rejected criticism from SPD leaders over the treatment of former minister Bärbel Bas.
- What
- Merz denied that the CDU had failed to show consideration for Bas during a difficult personal period.
- When
- The dispute was reported on October 12 and 13, 2026, following Bas’s resignation.
- Where
- Berlin. The sources also report comments by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Manuela Schwesig.
- Why
- Bas said public attacks continued during a difficult time after her stepdaughter died; the CDU says disagreements over policy were addressed as necessary.
CDU/Union
SPD
Treatment of Bas
CDU/Union
Merz said he had asked his party to show personal consideration and could not identify a breach.
SPD
Klingbeil and Schwesig said the Union’s criticism of Bas during her personal bereavement was excessive and wrong.
Political criticism
CDU/Union
CDU figures said the SPD was using the dispute to pressure the Union and pointed to SPD criticism of Bas and other politicians.
SPD
SPD leaders said Bas faced attacks from the Union during a period of personal grief.
Bas resigned as labour minister, citing, among other reasons, the death of her stepdaughter.
Merz rejected claims that the CDU had failed to show consideration for Bas at a press conference in Berlin.
Schwesig criticized the Union’s treatment of Bas, calling its attacks inhuman and ruthless.
Merz rejected the accusations again at a Union parliamentary group meeting, according to Bild.
- Former minister
- Bärbel Bas
- Chancellor
- Friedrich Merz
- SPD leader
- Lars Klingbeil
- Critic of the Union
- Manuela Schwesig, minister-president of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Policy dispute
- Delays to proposed legislation, including pension reform
- Bas’s personal loss
- Death of her stepdaughter
4 sources
What people are saying
I cannot establish that the CDU violated this in any way.
The CDU’s attacks – despite her difficult personal situation – were inhuman and ruthless.
We explicitly did not criticize her and her ministry during Katherina Reiche’s illness in the summer; we would have wished for the same now with Bärbel Bas and her ministry.
Ms Schwesig should realize that she has completely lost her way and apologize.