The commission assessed the proposal of 17 regional cells of the party from all over Germany for the SPD to expel the ex-chancellor or suspend his membership or reprimand him. The initiators of the disciplinary proceedings argued that Schröder had seriously damaged the party by his actions. According to them, Schröder did not sufficiently condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine and initially refused to give up his membership in the supervisory boards of Russian state-owned energy companies. In addition, the former chancellor is considered a personal friend of the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin.
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Schröder’s case was heard by a three-member arbitration panel in July with the media excluded, with the decision to be published on August 8. Schröder himself did not come to the proceedings and did not even send his representative.
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Against the verdict published on Monday, it is possible to appeal to a higher party instance within two weeks. So it is not yet clear whether this will end the efforts of part of the Social Democrats to strip Schröder of party membership. However, the German media point out that there are a number of legal obstacles standing in the way of possible exclusion.
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Among the sharpest critics of the former chancellor is party co-chairwoman Saskia Eskenová, who spoke about the possibility of his expulsion a few months ago. “Gerhard Schröder does not behave like a former chancellor, but like a businessman. In everything he does and says, he acts in his own interest and the interest of his business partners,” Eskenová recently stated in an interview with the media of the Funke group.
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Vacation in Moscow and meeting with Putin
Schröder attracted attention a few days ago when he traveled to Moscow, claiming he was going on vacation. However, he met with Putin and after returning to Germany declared that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a mistake and that he would not give up his friendship with the head of the Kremlin.
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Schröder also called it “good news” that Russia wants a negotiated solution. At the same time, he proposed the commissioning of the completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which, according to him, would be the simplest solution to the impending gas shortage. Germany abandoned the launch of the pipeline precisely because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Schröder was federal chancellor from 1998 to 2005. After that, he worked, among other things, in the companies Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2, in the Rosneft concern, and also applied for membership in the supervisory board of the gas concern Gazprom.
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