Bärbel Bas

Bärbel Bas (; born 3 May 1968) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) who has been serving as Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs in the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz since 2025. Also since 2025, she has been serving as one of two co-leaders of her party, alongside Lars Klingbeil.

Bas has been a member of the German Bundestag since the federal election in 2009. She served as the 14th president of the Bundestag from 2021 to 2025. She also served as the deputy chairwoman of the SPD parliamentary group under the leadership of chairman Rolf Mützenich from 2019 to 2021.

Early life and career Bas was born in 1968, in the Walsum district of Duisburg. In 1984, at the age of sixteen, she obtained her secondary school diploma. From 1985 to 1987 she served an apprenticeship as an office assistant at the Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft (DVG), where she worked from 1987 to 2001 as a clerk, and later moved to the company's own health insurance department. From 1986 to 1988 she was a representative of youth and trainees at DVG and from 1988 to 1998 member of the works council and employee representative on the supervisory board of DVG.

From 1994 to 1997, Bas completed a vocational training programme to become a social security specialist. That was followed, in 2000–2002, by in-service training as a health insurance business administrator and the instructor diploma 2003. From 2002 to 2006 she was a deputy board member of the health insurance fund EVS. From 2005 to 2007, she completed further training as a human resources economist (VWA) at the Administrative and Business Academy Essen. Subsequently, Bas served as Head of the Department of Personnel Services at the BKK Futur from 2007 to 2009. From December 2013 until 2017, she served as Parliamentary Director (Parlamentarischer Geschäftsführer, Chief whip) of the SPD parliamentary group. Bas later served as the group´s deputy chairwoman under the leadership of chairman Rolf Mützenich from 2019 until 2021.

Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, 2025–present In the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz Bas has been serving as Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs since May 2025.

In June 2025, Bas was elected as one of two co-leaders alongside Lars Klingbeil of her party, SPD. Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung Duisburg mbH, Member of the Supervisory Board (until 2013) Stadtwerke Duisburg AG, Member of the Supervisory Board (until 2013)

Non-profit organizations Humanitarian Aid Foundation for Persons infected with HIV through Blood Products (HIV Foundation), Member of the Board German United Services Trade Union (ver.di), Member MSV Duisburg, Member

Recognition Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

Foreign honors