Bärbel Bas, the SPD leader, has addressed recent internal conflicts within the ruling coalition, appealing to both the SPD and the CDU for a sense of shared responsibility. Speaking to “Der Spiegel”, she stated that recent weeks have been volatile, suggesting that “we all need to pull ourselves together”.
According to Bas, the primary sources of disagreement stem from the country’s unstable global situation and the sheer magnitude of the reforms that need to be implemented. While she acknowledges that deep ideological differences exist between her and the CDU’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz-differences that sometimes spill into public disputes-she conceded that such public disagreements are counterproductive during the first year of a coalition government. These conflicts, she noted, weaken both parties, even when the goal should be to provide clear governmental direction. Nevertheless, she emphasized that as a party leader, she must continually make her own positions clear, describing it as a delicate “balancing act”.
Regarding criticism of her May Day speech, Bas defended her remarks, clarifying that she did not label the Union as “anti-human” or “cynical”. Instead, she targeted a “political narrative” she has observed for months. This narrative, she argued, suggests that people do not work enough or that they are too often ill. It further proposes that economic growth is only possible if people work an extra hour or if a public holiday is eliminated. Bas strongly rejected this portrayal, stating that she knows this narrative incites anger among those who work hard every day only to find their wallets getting emptier.
Bas pledged to do everything in her power to prevent the coalition from failing. She warned that a collapse would only benefit the far-right AfD. “I do not want to leave this country to the enemies of democracy” she asserted. “We have a damned responsibility to get this done together. I will fight for this government with full conviction, because it is better than its reputation suggests”.
In a sign of personal reconciliation, Bas, who had previously had differences with Merz, openly expressed her willingness to repeat past gestures of peace. “I am always ready to have one or two beers with the Chancellor. Sometimes it helps to have time for exchange away from a rigid schedule” she said, adding that ideally, this beer would be from the Ruhr region-specifically, a good Pils from Duisburg.