Germany: Will the unexpected change of Labour Minister slow down reforms?

An article by Thomas Schnee

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15 October 2026 à 14h22

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2 minutes

Publication: 15 October 2026 à 14h22

Reading time: 2 minutes

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An article by Thomas Schnee

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Publication

15 October 2026 à 14h22

Reading time

2 minutes

Publication: 15 October 2026 à 14h22

Reading time: 2 minutes

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The news. Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Bärbel Bas (SPD) resigned on Monday 12 October with immediate effect. The reason given was the loss of a close relative. Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) is taking over the ministry, just a few weeks before the deadline set by Mr Merz to present several major pieces of legislation. Aged 53, this lawyer was State Secretary for Economic Affairs in 2009, Minister for Social Affairs, and subsequently Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate (2024-

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Article authors
Featured image of the article Thomas Schnee
Thomas Schnee Correspondent in Germany
Featured image of the article Thomas Schnee

As a Berlin correspondent for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business and labour market. My areas of interest include co-determination, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.

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