Interview with political scientist Römmele: “Bas has had to endure a lot”

tagesschau24: How big is the earthquake for the SPD due to the departure of co-chair Bärbel Bas?

Andrea Römmele: That's huge when the co-chair and the labor minister leave the ship. It had two functions. There will certainly have been discussions in close circles in the last few days. It probably wasn't a surprise for the closest circle, but it has already hit political Berlin like a bomb.

tagesschau24: Bas started as a representative of the left wing of the SPD. Recently, however, she implemented many reform projects that were particularly unappealing to the left wing - for example on the issue of early retirement. Who is leaving the SPD and what political significance did Bas have?

Römmele: Bärbel Bas worked her way up from a humble background to the Bundestag, was then party leader and also a minister. That was a rise par excellence. She is considered to be a left-wing veteran of the SPD - and it is precisely she who has opposed some points in the pension package. She may have been a little slower to implement some things. But she represents the left wing of the SPD. And now there is the question of how new staff will be filled here.

“What do we actually expect of our representatives?”

tagesschau24: Bas also linked her farewell with a gesture towards her coalition partner, the Union. She criticized that the public attacks on her had been intensified during the time of her private mourning. How do you assess this as a political observer? To what extent are the accusations against the Union justified?

Römmele: Overall, Bärbel Bas had to endure a lot because a lot of anger from the Union towards the SPD also went towards Bärbel Bas. She certainly had to endure a lot. But I think that applies to all politics: that as a politician she is exposed to the maximum, is constantly under constant observation, no longer has any room to retreat, and everything is analyzed to death. We have to look within ourselves and ask ourselves: What are we actually asking our representatives of the people to do now? And Bärbel Bas's choice of words and finger pointing certainly contributed to this reflection.

“Bas has taken on a very important role”

tagesschau24: Let's look at the consequences for the government. How great is the damage to the coalition after this resignation? What role did Bas play?

Römmele: Bärbel Bas played a very important role. The Ministry of Labor is a very important pillar, especially now in the discussion about pension reform and different reform packages. Friedrich Merz will certainly be able to breathe a little more deeply in the next two or three days because the media spotlight will be focused on the SPD, at least for a short time, and not on the discussions in the CDU about the CDU and the role of the Chancellor. But it is also clear that the replacement as far as the Ministry of Labor is concerned has already been more or less decided with Mr. Schweitzer. So the SPD still has a staff base that it can draw on and fill quickly. The open question is of course: what happens next with the party leadership?

tagesschau24: We'll talk about that in a moment. First of all: Can the reform plans be implemented in the planned form with Alexander Schweitzer?

Römmele: I assume that this is how they can get their way with him. He is considered a man of compromise. He also showed that in Rhineland-Palatinate, where he was Prime Minister, that he definitely finds the way in the middle. In this respect, I expect the reform packages to progress relatively quickly.

“Of course there are a lot of rumors about Manuela Schwesig”

tagesschau24: Then let’s now look at the SPD party leadership. At the end of the year, a party conference is to elect the entire leadership of the party. Which people could take on the leadership role?

Römmele: Of course there are a lot of rumors about Manuela Schwesig, who has created a new role for herself with her brilliant election result. The question is whether she will even become a co-chair or not, and whether, if she becomes party leader, she will become sole party leader. Then of course Ms. Rehlinger from Saarland is talked about more often. I would like to see people take a look at the second or third row and also bring young politicians on board. Politics needs young people at the front who inspire, fresh faces, new ideas. In this respect, someone who we don't yet have on the table may become co-chair or co-chair.

tagesschau24: And who are you thinking of?

Römmele: I don't have any names myself, but I'm definitely thinking of the second and third rows, so that the younger generation is also represented in the front row.

Bibiana Barth conducted the interview for tagesschau24. It has been adapted for the written version.