Bärbel Bas' resignation: Christian von Stetten (CDU) defends himself against SPD criticism

Bärbel Bas resigned as Minister of Labor and said she needed time to process the death of her stepdaughter. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil then strongly condemned political attacks against Bas from the weeks before. Again and again in this crisis of the coalition of the Union and SPD also a comment of the CDU member of the Bundestag Christian von Stetten was quoted. He now resists – and sharply criticizes the SPD.

Von Stetten had called for the resignation of Minister of labour Bas on September 11 in the “Bild” newspaper: “The Minister is no longer sustainable.” Now von Stetten stated in his newsletter that he had said this at the time because of the delay of necessary reforms. “So long before I knew what a great loss Bärbel Bas had on the 26th.” September 2026 had suffered in her family. The criticism was never directed at the man Bärbel Bas, but only at the work in the ministry.

High-ranking representatives of the Union had complained in talks with journalists that the Minister was hardly in Berlin and thus halt the reform process. Bas’ stepdaughter was already dying, at least the leaders of the CDU and CSU could know about it. On October 12, Bas resigned because of the mourning in her family.

Bas then complained about personal attacks from the coalition partners. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil described the behavior of the Union as “indecent”. Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) even accused the Union of behaving “inhumanely” towards Bas.

In his newsletter, Von Stetten now accuses Klingbeil and Schwesig of politically instrumentalizing death in the vicinity of Bas. “No CDU MP and no journalist has criticized Mrs. Bas after becoming aware of her private concerns or even called for the resignation as SPD party chairman,” writes von Stetten. Neither Klingbeil nor Schwesig nor SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf could have given examples of attacks from the CDU after the mourning became known.

Von Stetten, who represents the constituency Schwäbisch Hall – Hohenlohe, mentions, however, resignation demands from the ranks of the SPD against the party leadership in recent months. “Sometimes it is apparently easier to unload responsibility to the political competitor than to talk openly about pressure from within one’s own ranks.” ‘

After the withdrawal of co-party leader Bärbel Bas, the SPD faces the question of power. Party leader Lars Klingbeil wants to re-elect the leadership at an early party congress. Can he hold on? Read more about this here.