Bärbel Bas, a prominent SPD politician and current Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs in the Merz cabinet, revealed on n-tv that she has consistently faced hostility and prejudice due to her Hauptschulabschluss throughout her career. Despite serving as Bundestag President from October 2021 to March 2025 and achieving high office, she described needing to build self-confidence to counter the dismissive attitude towards her educational background. Bas, who began her career in 1984 after vocational training, advocates for establishing structures that ensure fair opportunities for all, rather than relying on luck. This comes as a 2025 study by the University of Europe for Applied Sciences found 81% of Bundestag members hold a university degree, with CDU/CSU having the highest academic share at 90.8% and SPD at 87.5%.