He did not violate the party constitution by having close relations with Russia. This was decided in the first instance by the arbitration committee of the Social Democrats for the former chancellor G. Shredder.
He was undoubtedly the absolute “persona non grata” among the Social Democrats in the last – at least – months, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. His companions in the party and not only severely criticized his attitude, even asking for his deletion from the party because he did not distance himself, as he should have, from the Kremlin by continuing his pro-Russian stance even after the war in Ukraine.
Apart from a declaration that the war in Ukraine was not a good choice, he has shown no remorse, many in the SPD say, for his close relationship with Putin and his long professional involvement in Russian energy giants from Rosneft to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
In this context seventeen local organizations of the SPD decided to move against him, starting the prescribed party procedures before the competent party arbitration committee of Hanover – where G. Schröder – to impose sanctions against him. Ideally some would have asked for his expulsion from the party, although based on everything that the party rules, the relevant German laws and the German Constitution stipulate, this would be difficult. More likely would be a reprimand or a temporary suspension of his rights as a member of the Social Democrats. In the end, none of this happened.
“He did not violate the party constitution”
According to the arbitration committee, Gerhard Schroeder did not violate the constitution of the Social Democratic Party and thus can remain a member of the party. His professional involvement in Russian energy giants does not constitute a violation of party rules, the commission ruled without even reprimanding him.
The grounds for the arbitration committee’s decision also state that Gerhard Schroeder’s personal friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin does not contravene the party’s constitution either. As pointed out, in no case did Schroeder with his words “call for an aggressive war, nor did he legitimize the attack on Ukraine”.
With his statements, “he did not depart so far from the SPD’s programmatic positions and statutes that the party can no longer tolerate them,” the arbitration committee says.
This decision is considered first-instance and is subject to appeal. In other words, if the seventeen party associations want to continue their efforts against Schroeder, they can do so.
It is worth noting that Gerhard Schröder, now 78 years old, has been a member of the Social Democrats for 60 years. He was twice chancellor of Germany (1998-2002 and 2002-2005) and president of the Social Democrats from 1999 to 2004.
Dimitra Kyranoudis, Berlin
Source: Deutsche Welle
Source: Capital
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