CDU calls for party expulsion: The Schröder problem of the SPD is growing

Schwesig, Schröder, the CDU even speaks of a “Russia network” of the SPD: Above all, recent statements by the former chancellor offer the CDU a new target. A NRW election campaigner increases the pressure.

The SPD cannot shake off the criticism of its Russia policy. There is the involvement of Manuela Schwesig in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in matters of Nord Stream 2 and there is especially Gerhard Schröder. Despite the Russian war of aggression, the former chancellor is still on the road in the service of the Russian state energy giant Rosneft and the pipeline company Nord Stream 2 AG.

In an interview with the New York Times, he reaffirmed his close ties to Russia and President Vladimir Putin – and offered to act as a mediator. “At least one side trusts me,” said the former SPD leader.

Dangerous ballast

For the SPD, the interview comes at the wrong time. For the current party leadership around Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil, the “Schröder problem” is increasingly proving to be dangerous ballast that can hardly be ignored. Especially since the CDU should not allow this either. Especially not the election campaigners.

“The interview in the ‘New York Times’ is quite disturbing, and there must be consequences,” demanded NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst on “Bild TV”. The CDU politician, who wants to win his first state election in three weeks, reminded the SPD of their own position: “The entire SPD leadership said: ‘If Gerhard Schröder sticks to his well-paid mandates with Putin, he can no longer be a member of the SPD.'” Now he says that he intends to do just that. “That’s why the SPD is now called upon to put their words into action.”

In fact, Esken and Klingbeil wrote to the ex-Chancellor at the end of February, asking him to resign from his post at the state-owned company. In the SPD, a party order procedure against Schröder is running. Chancellor Olaf Scholz also called on Schröder to resign from his positions at state-run Russian energy companies.

Esken demands resignation from the party

Esken renewed her request to Schröder to leave the party on Deutschlandfunk. Schröder has only acted as a businessman for years. “We should stop perceiving him as … ex-chancellor.” Unfortunately, the party leadership had asked him in vain to give up his mandates with Russian energy companies. Several applications for a party exclusion would already be examined.

Demands for consequences for Schröder also came from the Ukraine: “All those who continue to work for the war criminal Putin must be severely sanctioned,” demanded Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Schröder is part of the Putin system and thus “shared responsibility for the slaughter of women and children in Ukraine. In view of his propaganda for the Kremlin, one wonders why Schröder lives in Hanover and not in Moscow.”

Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, the SPD has defended itself against allegations that it was too lenient with Putin for too long. Former party leaders like Sigmar Gabriel and Frank-Walter Steinmeier admitted to mistakes. The CDU – itself a chancellor’s party for years – is demanding further consequences. CDU leader Friedrich Merz even spoke in the “Bild am Sonntag” of a “nationwide SPD-Russia network”.