Because of his connections to Russia, Gerhard Schröder has come under massive criticism within the party. The SPD wants to throw the former chancellor out of the party – but fails before an arbitration commission.
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder was discredited in the SPD for his relations with Vladimir Putin. The attempt to expel him from the party also failed in the second instance. This is reported by the “Spiegel”, which has the decision of the district arbitration commission in Hanover.
The arbitration commission ruled that the applications were “unfounded”. Schröder should have “violated the statutes, principles or the order of the party or be guilty of an dishonorable act”. According to the decision, this cannot be determined with sufficient certainty. “Perhaps top German politicians have misjudged the dangers of dependence on Russian energy supplies over the past 25 years. This also applies to other politicians in the SPD and other parties, which is also partly publicly acknowledged. However, accusing the opponent of such a misjudgment is going too far .”
The party organization procedure, in which Schröder’s expulsion from the SPD would have been the hardest sanction possible, was initiated by 17 party branches because of his close ties to Russia. At the beginning of August, the arbitration commission of the SPD sub-district Hanover decided in the first instance that Schröder had not violated the party rules. Seven party branches then applied for an appeal.
Schröder is considered a close friend of Russia’s President Putin and has worked for Russian energy companies for years. With regard to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the former chancellor stated that it was Russia’s responsibility to end the war. However, the ties to Russia should not be completely severed. SPD chairwoman Saskia Esken suggested that Schröder leave the party.
Schröder had always sworn loyalty to the Social Democrats. “I am and will remain a social democrat,” Schröder told the “Spiegel”. “I have never voted for anything other than the SPD in my political life. That will also be the case in the future, even if one or the other of the SPD leadership is making it a bit difficult for me at the moment. My basic political stance will not change. “
