former chancellor
Schröder-Kim defends husband against criticism from the SPD
Gerhard Schröder (SPD), former Chancellor, and his wife So-yeon Schröder-Kim in the Bundestag. Photo: Kay Nietfeld/dpa
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Former Chancellor Schröder is being stripped of honorary memberships and titles one after the other because of his connections to Russia. Now his wife speaks up – and protects her husband.
The wife of former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) commented on Instagram about the criticism of her husband in the Ukraine conflict.
Soyeon Schröder-Kim wrote on Instagram on Saturday that she was appalled at the haste with which the SPD in the leadership, but also in many basic organizations, was supporting a campaign against her husband. “You can be sure that whatever my husband can do to help end the war, he will do it, regardless of ultimatums from the SPD or other organizations such as the DFB.”
Criticism is getting sharper
The former Chancellor was heavily criticized for sticking to business ties with Russia despite the Ukraine war. Specifically, it is about Schröder’s posts at the Russian energy companies Nord Stream 1 and 2 and the oil company Rosneft, where he is the head of the supervisory board. In addition, Schröder is to take on a supervisory board position for Gazprom. The former chancellor has long been criticized for his ties to Russia. He is considered a longtime friend of President Vladimir Putin, who launched a war of aggression against Ukraine last week.
After the SPD leadership, Chancellor Olaf Scholz also asked his predecessor on Thursday to vacate his posts at Russian state-owned companies. The Heidelberg Social Democrats applied for Schröder’s expulsion from the party. The DFB called on the former chancellor, as an honorary member of the association, to give up the “functions in Russian state-owned companies” or to give up his honorary membership in the DFB. Borussia Dortmund revoked his honorary membership.
The SPD has removed the former chancellor from a list of major social democrats. The SPD had listed 34 important personalities from its history on its website, now there are only 33. This was caused by the party leadership, since Schröder’s naming does not fit the current situation, the party said. The “Spiegel” had first reported on it. Schröder cups were also taken off the shelves from the SPD shop.