Status: 03/15/2022 4:42 p.m
The former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) renounced the honorary citizenship of the city of Hanover. He announced this to Mayor Belit Onay on Tuesday.
The former Chancellor published his letter on his profile on a career network. (Screenshot)
Schröder informed the mayor of Hanover, Belit Onay (Greens), in a letter on Tuesday, which he also published in career network LinkedIn published. It says: “I received your letter of March 11, 2022. After that, the City Council of Hanover should revoke my honorary citizenship.” The former chancellor apparently wants to preempt this step: “I irrevocably renounce the honorary citizenship of the city of Hanover,” Schröder continues. Onay himself has not yet commented.
Is a waiver enough?
A city spokesman was initially unable to confirm receipt of the letter on Tuesday. It will be legally examined whether the declaration of waiver is sufficient or whether a formal administrative act to withdraw the honorary citizenship is necessary. A decision on the withdrawal of honorary citizenship should be made on March 31. The chairman of the SPD council group in Hanover, Lars Kelich, told NDR Lower Saxony that Schröder’s voluntary resignation was probably the more dignified way than standing idly by as the topic was discussed again in the city council.
friendship with Putin
Schröder is considered a longtime friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is also the head of the supervisory board at the Russian state-owned energy company Rosneft and holds management positions in the natural gas pipeline projects Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2. Anti-corruption groups have therefore recently called for him to be included in the lobby register. The commissioning of Nord Stream 2 has now been put on hold by the federal government. Schröder had caused a stir just a few days ago when he traveled to Russia to speak to Putin about the war in Ukraine. However, not much is known about the results and background.
VIDEO: Was former Chancellor Schröder on a peace mission with Putin? (3 mins)
Schröder “another part of the war machine”
The city of Hanover had previously announced that it intends to continue with the procedure for depriving Schröder of his honorary citizenship. The SPD in City Hall is also sticking with it: as long as Schröder continues to be the head of the supervisory board at the Russian company Rosneft, he will continue to be part of the war machine, said parliamentary group leader Kelich.
Schröder has been an honorary citizen of Hanover since 2006.
Further information
