Status: 03/02/2023 11:42 a.m
The arbitration commission of the SPD district of Hanover has rejected the objections to the decision by several party branches. This means that former Chancellor Schröder can remain a member of the SPD, despite his controversial position on Russia.
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder can remain a member of the SPD – despite his close ties to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. The arbitration commission of the SPD district of Hanover rejected applications from several SPD branches in a decision in the second instance.
In August 2022, the arbitration commission of the SPD sub-district in the Hanover region declared in the first instance that Schröder’s commitment to Russia was no reason for a reprimand or even for a party expulsion. Seven SPD branches had appealed against this decision – and now had to accept defeat in the second instance.
No “adequate security”
According to the decision, it cannot be “determined with sufficient certainty” that Schröder violated statutes, principles or the party order or was guilty of an dishonorable act. “Perhaps top German politicians have misjudged the dangers of being dependent on Russian energy supplies over the past 25 years.”
But that also applies to other politicians from the SPD and other parties. “To accuse the opponent of such a misjudgment is going too far.” The SPD branches that had applied for the appeal could now apply for an appeal to the SPD Federal Arbitration Commission. However, it is considered rather unlikely that a further appeal would be allowed after two acquittals in the first instance.
Close friend of Putin
Schröder is considered a close friend of Russia’s President Putin and has worked for Russian energy companies for years. Since the end of his term of office in 2005, he has worked as Chairman of the Supervisory Board for Nord Stream AG, which brings Russian gas to Western Europe via pipelines through the Baltic Sea.
Since the outbreak of war in 2022, the SPD leadership had urged Schröder to give up his posts at Russian energy companies. In May 2022, Schröder then gave up his position on the supervisory board of the Russian energy company Rosneft and rejected a nomination for a seat on the supervisory board of the Russian gas giant Gazprom.