Gunnar Schupelius wrote that the presentation of the resignation of Federal Labor Minister and SPD Chairwoman Bärbel Bas lost credibility over the course of the week. In her resignation statement, Bas initially mentioned the death of her stepdaughter and then accused the CDU and CSU of public attacks without naming specific examples. SPD Chairman Lars Klingbeil also repeated the accusation but, according to Schupelius, did not mention a specific case either at a press appearance or in the ARD news special. According to Schupelius, the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Manuela Schwesig, described the behavior of the CDU and CSU as "inhumane," also without providing evidence. At the same time, it remained unclear whether the alleged attacks occurred publicly or behind closed doors. SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf referred to media pressure in the ZDF show "Maischberger," stating that Bas needed to present reform laws. The author wrote that the SPD also accused the CDU and Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz of pressuring Bas to submit drafts for laws, such as pension reform, during her mourning. However, she had already received the mandate for this in July when the federal government decided on social state reforms and presented them before the Federal Chancellery. Even if Bas could not work extensively on the drafts due to the illness and death of her stepdaughter, according to Schupelius, the three state secretaries in the Ministry of Labor could have taken over this task. Schupelius interpreted the SPD's accusations as a diversionary maneuver. Bas had come under criticism within her own ranks for delayed reforms and possible overwhelm; the SPD strategists had turned this into a confrontation with the CDU and CSU, using the death of her stepdaughter as leverage, he wrote. #SPD #Politik #Rücktritt (translated)
