The Special Committee of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in Hannover (Lower Saxony) sees no reason to censor or expel former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder from the SPD. The decision was made on Monday, August 8.

The commission ruled that Schroeder “is not guilty of violating party rules, as not a single fact of violation on his part has been proven.” The commission clarified that the basis for a disciplinary sanction could be “the violation of the charter, principles or order of the Social Democratic Party”. Only in the presence of these facts can disciplinary action be taken – taking into account whether “serious harm has been caused to the party”.

“I didn’t call for war”

Commission representatives emphasize that “calls for aggressive warfare or justification of a militant attack from one state to another are incompatible with membership of the SPD.” However, Schroeder did not voice those calls, the commission pointed out. “On the contrary, already on the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said that Russia’s security interests do not justify the use of military means,” they emphasized.

And while a clearer designation of the post is “desirable and appropriate,” the former chancellor’s remarks do not mean he has strayed so far from the SPD line that Social Democrats can no longer stand it, members of the party considered.

“Friendship with Putin is a personal matter”

Schroeder’s commitment to friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is also not a violation of the letter, the commission is convinced. Rather, it is “a part of a purely personal sphere connected with building your life” – no matter how “incomprehensible or incomprehensible” this approach may seem from a social democratic point of view, logic indicates.

As a result, production will be discontinued. Schroeder will be reimbursed for the court costs, in turn, the plaintiffs against him will have to bear the costs.

The decision of the committee of one of the Hannover sub-districts can be appealed to the city district committee within two weeks, one month is allowed for the relevant arguments to be presented in writing.

revocation procedure

Earlier, in the Social Democratic Party of Germany against Schroeder, a deprivation of membership procedure was launched, corresponding requests were received from 17 district and municipal party associations. In the party, his closest former associates have distanced themselves from him, including Germany’s current federal president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

At the end of May, the former chancellor was deprived of several privileges in Germany. Thus, the Bundestag budget committee decided to close its office, for whose personnel costs in 2021 alone more than 400,000 euros were spent from the state treasury. However, the 78-year-old politician is still entitled to personal protection and a pension.

On the day of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation – February 24 – the former foreign minister publicly called on Moscow to end the war and “the suffering of people in Ukraine associated with it” as soon as possible. “This is the responsibility of the Russian government,” the former head of the German government wrote on the social network LinkedIn, adding that Russia’s security interests do not justify the use of military means.

The former German chancellor since 2017 has headed the board of directors of state oil company Rosneft. In May, the politician announced the impossibility of extending his powers.

trips to moscow

On Wednesday, August 3, in an interview with the weekly Stern and the television channels RTL/n-tv, Gerhard Schroeder said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would like to find a solution to the conflict with Ukraine and the West. through negotiations.

Schroeder again called the Russian invasion of Ukraine “a mistake by the Russian government”, but at the same time, he once again refused to sever his personal relationship with the Russian president. The politician’s wife, So Young Schroeder-Kim, confirmed that he “conducted energy policy talks in Moscow” in late July.

In early March, just days after the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Schroeder also came to Moscow and also talked to Putin about the war. After that, he said that the Kremlin is interested in a negotiated solution.