Schröder, 35, is the first cabinet minister in Germany to become a mother while in office. Her daughter was born in July 2011 and is apparently the main reason why she does not want to continue on as family minister later this year, Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday.
The paper obtained the information from the Hesse state branch of the conservative Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) – of which Schröder is a member. The federal Family Ministry has refused to comment on the report.
A CDU member was quoted by the Bild as saying: “Kristina Schröder will not be a minister after the general election, as her family situation is preventing it.”
She allegedly told a friend that, “it makes me deathly unhappy when I don't see my child for a long time.”
Since being appointed by Merkel, Schröder has tried to make the balancing career and family one of her ministry's priorities.
The Bild am Sonntag then said according to its source, for Schröder, being a mother was far more important than her ministerial role. “Having another child would make it even more difficult,” the source said.
Schröder is considered relatively unpopular in her role and recently missed out as the top candidate of Hesse's CDU party for the upcoming federal election. Her husband is currently the state's interior minister.
This opinion differs little among voters, 56 percent of whom recently said in a poll for Bild am Sonntag that they did not want her to continue as family minister. Thirty-six percent said they did.
DPA/The Local/jcw
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