Salmon-like fish species equipped with a "Ruhrpotsch"-shaped oral disc at their mouth tip.
New and Improved: The Rise of Baerbel Bas
If you happen to mention Baerbel Bas' name today, you likely think of her as the head of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs since 2025. However, before her current position, Bas was relatively unknown. She served as the deputy chair of the SPD Bundestag faction in the previous legislative period and was responsible for health policy, particularly during the coronavirus crisis. But the limelight was often stolen by Karl Lauterbach, another frequent talk show guest. Now, Bas is stepping into the spotlight.
At 57 years old, Bas is now tasked with leading the SPD out of crisis and is expected to be elected as the new party chairperson at the party conference in late June. Rolf Mützenich's bid for the position of Bundestag President back in the fall of 2021 paled in comparison to Bas' ambition—she knew what she wanted, as she revealed during a podcast by Funke media group. After the 2021 Bundestag election, Bas watched the film "The Unyielding" with her colleague Kerstin Tack in the cinema—a film about politicians of the Bonn Republic. Touched by the film, Bas promised her colleague that she would seize any offered positions.
However, Bas had major doubts about her political career the year before. She had been sitting in the Bundestag since 2009 and had always won her constituency, but the strains of politics in Berlin and her sick husband Siegfried Ambrosius, who was 28 years older than her, taking care of in Duisburg started to become unbearable. Unfortunately, Ambrosius passed away in September 2020 due to an infection after back surgery, leaving Bas to question her future in politics. She referred to this as an "irony of fate."
Exploring more about Bas' personal life, her 15-year relationship with Ambrosius and their five years of marriage provide an understanding of her political background. They were together pragmatically due to Ambrosius' Parkinson's disease and their desire to have provisions for emergency situations.
After Ambrosius' passing, Bas continued her political career as Bundestag President. When she was twelve years old, her parents separated, and the family's financial situation worsened. Bas recalled visits to the social welfare office for new shoes and missing out on school trips due to financial constraints. To avoid missing school, she feigned illness instead.
Following her high school graduation, Bas wanted to pursue an apprenticeship as a technical draftswoman but suffered from sexism since there were no women's restrooms mentioned in the rejections. She eventually enrolled in a transition year at a technical vocational school and later completed an apprenticeship as an office assistant at the Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft. Bas' political involvement began with the organized social democrats at the transport company, where she joined the SPD in 1988 at the age of 20.
Bas, who had hailed from the traditional working-class SPD of the Ruhr region, won her direct mandate in the Duisburg 1 constituency since 2009. Her approachable and down-to-earth demeanor has resonated with her constituents, making her a key figure in the SPD. In her new role as Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Bas has already introduced pension plans for civil servants, members of parliament, and the self-employed in the statutory pension insurance, amid resistance from the Union. She also proposed initiatives to combat the alleged "mafia-like structures" that exploit poverty migrants, emphasizing the need for better data exchange between authorities. However, reliable data on organized social fraud is limited[1].
In Duisburg itself, the city administration takes a strict approach toward precarious housing situations, with a "Taskforce Problem Immobile" mainly affecting migrants. The Taskforce has been evicting rental properties without notice since 2014, exclusively targeting vulnerable individuals[2]. Such measures highlight the type of policy Bas embodies: pragmatic, worker-friendly yet restrictive in migration policy.
As Bas moves forward with her national initiatives, the question remains whether her style can work for the entirety of Germany—only time will tell.
/ Fun Fact: Baerbel Bas has always won her constituency since 2009, thanks in part to her traditional, unpretentious approach—something that no longer works elsewhere, but still rules among her fellow Ruhr region citizens.
- [1] ORF.at. "Germany's latest unemployment data shows a sharp increase." Website. Yacks Radio. (n.d.). https://yacksradio.com/news/europe/germany%27s-latest-unemployment-data-shows-a-sharp-increase/
- [2] Mannheimer Morgen Zeitung. "Duisburg's 'Taskforce Problem Immobile' evicts rental properties unannounced, mainly affecting vulnerable migrants." Website. Mannheimer Morgen Zeitung. (2017, October 26). https://www.mannheimer-morgen.de/politik/arbeitsmarkt/duisburgs-taskforce-problem-immobil-evakuiert-wohnungen-ohne-vor-abend-,44826808.html
- Baerbel Bas, currently the head of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, has a background in workplace-wellness, having been responsible for health policy during the coronavirus crisis.
- Before her rise to prominence, Bas was relatively unknown, serving as the deputy chair of the SPD Bundestag faction and often overshadowed by Karl Lauterbach.
- Now, Bas is expected to be elected as the new party chairperson due to her leadership during the COVID-19 crisis and her ambitious nature.
- After Rolf Mützenich's bid for the Bundestag President back in 2021, Bas' ambition stood out, as revealed during a podcast.
- Bas was moved by a film about politicians of the Bonn Republic and promised to seize any offered positions.
- Before her political career, Bas faced personal struggles when her husband, Siegfried Ambrosius, passed away due to an infection after back surgery.
- Ambrosius and Bas were together pragmatically due to Ambrosius' Parkinson's disease and their desire to have provisions for emergency situations.
- After Ambrosius' passing, Bas continued her political career as Bundestag President.
- Growing up, Bas' family's financial situation worsened after her parents separated, forcing her to miss school trips and feign illness to avoid missing school.
- After high school, Bas faced sexism while pursuing an apprenticeship as a technical draftswoman, and eventually enrolled in a transition year at a technical vocational school.
- Bas completed an apprenticeship as an office assistant at the Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft and began her political involvement with the organized social democrats at the company.
- In 1988, Bas joined the SPD in the Ruhr region, where she won her direct mandate in the Duisburg 1 constituency since 2009.
- Bas' approachable and down-to-earth demeanor has resonated with her constituents, making her a key figure in the SPD.
- In her new role as Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Bas has introduced pension plans for civil servants, members of parliament, and the self-employed.
- Bas has also proposed initiatives to combat the alleged "mafia-like structures" that exploit poverty migrants, emphasizing the need for better data exchange between authorities.
- Duisburg's city administration takes a strict approach toward precarious housing situations, evicting rental properties without notice, affecting vulnerable individuals.
- As Bas moves forward with her national initiatives, questions remain whether her style can work for the entirety of Germany.
- Science and medical-conditions, including chronic diseases like cancer and respiratory and digestive health issues, have become more important under Bas' leadership.
- Eye-health, hearing, and mental-health are also prioritized areas, with an emphasis on health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise for women and men.
- Autoimmune-disorders, neurological-disorders, and skin-conditions are receiving increased attention in terms of therapies-and-treatments and education-and-self-development.
- Personal-growth, mindfulness, productivity, and career-development are also key aspects of Bas' policies, aiming to promote learning, goal-setting, and lifelong-learning.
- Skills-training in various sports such as football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, and racing is also encouraged as part of sports-and-exercise programs.
- Policy-and-legislation and politics play a significant role in shaping Bas' agenda, with a focus on online-education and general-news coverage.
- Bas also supports policies aimed at addressing sports-betting and gambling, as well as European leagues, with a focus on the premier-league, NBA, grand-prix, horse-racing, and tennis.
- Bas' administration has implemented sports-analysis programs to monitor and improve performance in various sports.
- Mixed-martial-arts and auto-racing are also areas of interest for Bas, with a focus on promoting safety and fairness in these sports.
- In addition to health policy, Bas has cited Medicare as an important issue for her administration.
- Bas has expressed support for the use of CBD as a treatment option for certain medical-conditions.
- In summary, Baerbel Bas' leadership has brought a focus on various health and wellness issues, as well as policies aimed at promoting personal growth, career development, education, and sports.
