1.
Gerhard Schröder is leaving Rosneft – now he should also be giving up his jobs at other Russian companies
As a young man, according to legend, Gerhard Schröder shook the fence of the Chancellor's Office, which was still in Bonn at the time, after a pub crawl and shouted: "I want to go in there!" When he had won the office, the politician once claimed: "The SPD is and will remain the party of practical reason.« Some time ago, the SPD leadership called on the ex-Chancellor to leave the party, and there are also applications for expulsion from the party: because even after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine he has not left his party Jobs at Russian state-owned companies distanced themselves.
One of the companies, the oil company Rosneft, announced today that the former chancellor does not intend to extend his post as head of the supervisory board there.
He wants out.
Exactly when it stops is probably still unclear - is it still a sign of practical common sense?
Gerhard Schröder
Photo:
imago/photothek
To this day, Schröder is considered, well, a friend of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.
Under the impact of the war of aggression in Ukraine, which violates international law, the pressure on the former chancellor has increased.
Yesterday, the European Parliament pushed for Schröder to be included on the list of sanctions against Russian oligarchs if he held on to his posts in Russian companies despite the war in Ukraine.
Also yesterday, the budget committee of the Bundestag had canceled the previous equipment with employees and offices.
Schröder himself initially did not comment on the matter, but commissioned a legal review of the cuts.
In addition, the news came today that he wants to retire at least at Rosneft.
'The move is perfectly correct.
In truth, of course, he should have come much earlier,« says my colleague Veit Medick from our office in the capital.
“It is now interesting what Schröder does with the other posts he still has, at Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2.” Assuming he would lay down everything, that could possibly also have an impact on his exclusion process in the SPD.
In any case, according to Veit, "it would then be even more questionable on what grounds the party actually wants to throw him out".
Read more here:
And here is more news and background information on the war in Ukraine:
Video documents execution of civilians in Bucha:
The horrors of Bucha shocked the world, Russian soldiers probably murdered hundreds of people there.
The Kremlin denies the crimes, but the New York Times has detailed eight cases using videos.
The uncertain grip on Russia's money:
rebuilding Ukraine with Russian assets: Finance Minister Christian Lindner likes the idea, and there is also a role model.
However, implementation would be legally risky.
Russia wants to stop gas deliveries to Finland from Saturday:
According to the Finnish gas company Gasum, Russian gas deliveries to neighboring Finland are to be stopped at the weekend.
Gazprom announced that.
There should be a replacement from the Baltic States.
Kiev orders end of defense of Mariupol:
Russia had already claimed in April to have the port city of Mariupol under control - but in fact the Azov regiment continued to resist from a steel mill.
Now the commander announces the task.
Find all the latest developments on the war in Ukraine here: The News Update
2.
Many rich people pay very little tax, even in Germany.
Politicians should urgently change that – at EU level
The humorous German poet Wilhelm Busch said about envy more than a hundred years ago: »The gain of others is felt almost like a loss.« Although envy is not a noble feeling, when it comes to money, people generally do not feel wrong at all.
Why?
You can read that in the current SPIEGEL cover story.
Billionaires like the American Jeff Bezos, but also many German super-rich pay only little tax.
At the same time, their share of the world's wealth is growing.
The richest one percent of the German population alone accounts for 35 percent of the country's total wealth.
The new SPIEGEL is here, you can find the complete issue here – or from Saturday at the kiosk
The German middle class »may groan under high real estate prices and rising petrol costs.
The super-rich are groaning under a lack of berths,” report my colleagues Tim Bartz, Christoph Giesen, Marc Pitzke, Michael Sauga and Thomas Schulz.
"From Monaco to Cannes, the marinas are bursting at the seams despite constant expansion." When journalists got their hands on the secret tax data of the super-rich last year, it was possible to reconstruct how much various billionaires actually gave to the tax authorities thanks to numerous tricks.
Jeff Bezos, for example, only paid 0.9 percent in taxes between 2014 and 2018.
Ironically, Bezos this week publicly attacked plans by US President Joe Biden to raise taxes for multinational corporations and the wealthy in order to finance new programs for school education and against climate change.
These plans have already failed.
It's not that extreme in Germany.
But here, too, there are ways of escaping the tax authorities.
Many wealthy people have significantly lower tax rates than average earners.
Economists and politicians are already talking about »neo-feudalisation«: Because class society has returned in Western industrialized countries and Asian boom regions.
The new nobility is made up of the small class of billionaires.
How do rich people in Germany protect their assets from the tax authorities?
For example by founding a GmbH.
"What sounds as exciting as a home savings contract and is known among experts as a box privilege is highly effective," the colleagues write.
"Anyone who transfers real estate or shareholdings to a limited liability company founded especially for this purpose can reduce their tax burden to bonsai format, well below the personal tax rate."
Among others, the title authors spoke to Stefan Bach, a tax expert from the Institute for Economic Research, who advised the Greens and the SPD.
He finds little to gain from their plans for a wealth tax, partly because it could slow down investments in small and medium-sized enterprises.
Bach expects greater effects if it were possible to coordinate capital and wealth taxes more internationally, especially at EU level.
The race for the lowest tax rates and the most lucrative exemptions, such as those in Austria and Luxembourg, must come to an end.
"Significantly higher taxes on the wealthy can only be enforced," says Bach.
»if they are coordinated Europe-wide and even better in the G20.«
Read the full story here: The feudal world of the super-rich
3.
The British government is shaking up the Northern Ireland deal in the Brexit dispute – but US policy is apparently siding with the EU
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised his voters that Brexit will make the British proud, rich and happy.
But apparently he is dissatisfied with the agreement that the government he leads has negotiated with the EU.
The British have been threatening for a long time to overturn the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.
It is designed to avoid border controls between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and Ireland, which is a member of the EU.
The aim is to prevent conflicts between supporters and opponents of Irish unity.
At the same time, a customs border has been created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
Because the British government fears that Northern Ireland will become alienated from London, it wants to legislate to overturn the Brexit rules for Northern Ireland.
Enlarge image
Nancy Pelosi
Photo:
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Today, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, intervened in the dispute.
If the British government does not comply with the protocols agreed with Brussels, it would also jeopardize free trade relations between the US and Great Britain, Pelosi said in a statement.
If London decides to undermine the Northern Ireland agreement, the US Congress will not support a bilateral free trade agreement with the UK.
With this, an important US politician has clearly committed to the position of the EU that treaties must be observed.
Pelosi obviously fears a trade war.
"Boris Johnson recently sent a rear inmate to Washington to campaign for London's position," says Jörg Schindler, SPIEGEL's London correspondent.
"That doesn't seem to have been of much use." For Biden and the US Democrats, peace in Northern Ireland is apparently more important than the "special relationship" with the man Jörg calls "the gambler in Downing Street".
Read more here: Pelosi threatens Britain to abandon trade deal
(Would you like to receive the "Situation in the evening" conveniently by e-mail in your inbox? Order the daily briefing as a newsletter here.)
What else is important today
Federal Council votes for nine-euro ticket:
The Federal Council has approved the relief package of the traffic light coalition.
This paves the way for cheap travel by bus and train.
What there was and is criticism of and where you can buy the ticket now.
Oklahoma passes toughest abortion law in the US:
One Republican US state after another is tightening its abortion laws.
With the "Heartbeat Act" Texas had presented a particularly restrictive one - now Oklahoma voted for an even stricter law.
First case of monkeypox in Germany:
Infections with monkeypox in humans are increasing, so far there have only been confirmed cases in other countries.
An infection has now also been registered in Germany.
Borussia Dortmund surprisingly parted ways with coach Rose:
Borussia Dortmund finished the Bundesliga season as runners-up, but coach Marco Rose has to go now.
The club announced this on its website.
According to media reports, Edin Terzić will take over.
My favorite date in the schedule for the next week:
I admire the courage of the colleagues who often report on the scenes of the Ukraine war at great risk.
Next Tuesday, May 24, the two reporters Alexander Sarovic and Thore Schröder will be answering questions about their work in Ukraine from 6 p.m. as part of our digital event series »SPIEGEL Backstage«.
The topic is: research in war.
Among other things, Thore Schröder documented the war crimes of Russian soldiers in the small town of Bucha near Kyiv and later spoke to people who were locked up in the Azov steelworks in Mariupol for weeks.
Alexander Sarovic drove to the Donbass front with an army captain and reported on the battle for Kharkiv, the country's second largest city.
What did the two journalists experience?
How can they research under wartime conditions?
Which risks do they take – and which do they not?
You can ask the two reporters all of this at SPIEGEL Backstage.
The event is exclusively for subscribers.
To register, click here .
More information is available here: How do SPIEGEL reporters work in Ukraine?
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL+
The crazy season of Werder Bremen: Bremen
fought for a year to return to league one – and its existence in professional football.
DER SPIEGEL watched the club as it was shaken by more than just the vaccination card scandal.
These are Germany's most beautiful regional train routes:
river valleys, viaducts, coastal strips and even really long train routes: Germany can be traveled around in summer at a bargain price.
Three experts reveal their tips.
"You can lose your life without dying":
Viral infections can trigger chronic fatigue syndrome, the consequences are often dramatic.
19-year-old Milena Hermisson was particularly hard hit.
This is her story.
Six melodies by Vangelis that will be remembered:
His electronically influenced sounds accompanied period films, boxing matches and space missions.
Now the Greek musician Vangelis has died.
As a commemoration, here are some of his most formative compositions.
Joe Biden on a mission of encouragement:
The Ukraine crisis has alarmed East Asia.
Japan and South Korea want to revive their alliance with the United States, and President Biden's visit is intended to strengthen the relationship again.
But one person disturbs the harmony: Kim Jong Un.
Which is less important today
Enlarge image
Photo:
SEBASTIEN NOGIER v EPO
Hollywood star moved to tears: Anne Hathaway
, 39, actress from the USA, showed feelings at the Cannes Film Festival.
She spoke at the screening of the film "Armageddon Time," in which she plays the Jewish mother of a young boy growing up in New York in the 1980s.
The work apparently reminded Hathaway of her recently deceased stepmother, who was also Jewish.
"Your legacy affects my life," Hathaway said tearfully, his voice faltering.
According to the actress, the true depth of their love can only be expressed with the means of cinema.
"Because it enables you to say things without words."
Typo of the day
, now corrected: "Boris Beckers has been in prison for less than a month."
Cartoon of the day:
NATO
And on the weekend?
Could you read a good book.
For example the one that my colleague Eva-Maria Schnurr published together with my colleague Frank Patalong.
It is called "Germany, your colonies" and deals with a repressed historical heritage of our country.
The Germans presented themselves as colonial powers not only in Africa, but also in China and Oceania.
The book describes Germany's former role, the often dire consequences of which can still be felt today.
Reports from eyewitnesses illustrate what the locals experienced after their countries were occupied, how they were treated by missionaries and how they defended themselves against the occupiers.
So far, our society has been very reluctant to come to terms with the German colonial era - this book, which tells of the history and present of a suppressed time, wants to drive it forward.
A lovely evening.
Yours sincerely,
Wolfgang Hoebel
Here you can order the »Situation in the Evening« by e-mail.
