Double resignation in Berlin... Purple Pass withdraws from the government and the leadership of its party

Purple Bass announced her resignation today, Monday (October 12), from the co-chairmanship of the Social Democratic Party and from the position of Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in the German government, indicating that she needed time to deal with the death of her stepdaughter, in addition to her exposure to what she described as “public attacks” that targeted her even from within the ruling coalition.

Bass said in Berlin that she had informed her co-chairman and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil of her decision to step down as party leader “as of today.” She also asked German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to relieve her from the position of Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.

Personal reasons and political pressures

Bass explained in a personal statement that she realized, after the death of her stepdaughter, that she needed enough time to deal with grief, adding that political pressures did not abate during this difficult period for her.

The socialist politician criticized what she described as "public attacks" against her, and said that some of them also came from the ranks of the Socialist Party's partner in the government coalition, in reference to the Christian Union, which is made up of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union parties.

She added that she cannot currently provide the necessary strength to fully carry out her governmental and party duties, and therefore she decided to abandon both positions.

Bass's resignation comes at a time when there are tensions within the ruling coalition and disagreements regarding a number of social and economic policy issues.

Schweitzer is a candidate to succeed Bass

In the first move regarding Bass's succession in the government, the Social Democratic Party confirmed that former Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Alexander Schweitzer, is scheduled to take over the Labor and Social Affairs portfolio as her successor.

Schweitzer is 53 years old and is a lawyer and prominent politician in the Social Democratic Party. He currently heads the party's caucus in the state parliament of Rhineland-Palatinate, and also serves as vice-chairman of the Social Democratic Party at the federal level.

From Mainz to the Federal Government

Schweitzer served as Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate between 2024 and 2026, before the Social Democratic Party lost the state parliament elections last March, after decades during which it was the dominant political force in the state.

Since losing the election, there has been speculation about Schweitzer's ambition to move to Berlin and take up a position in the federal government.