Schröder lawyer on party exclusion: "There are no reasons for this"
Created: 07/01/2022 09:34
By: Moritz Serif
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) has to face a party exclusion procedure.
(Archive photo) © Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance
Gerhard Schröder has been criticized for his business relationships with Vladimir Putin and Russia.
A party exclusion process is underway.
Hanover – Will former chancellor Gerhard Schröder be expelled from the SPD?
Not according to his lawyer Michael Nagel.
The lawyer told the
Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
that he thought it was impossible for the 78-year-old to be kicked out.
“There is no expulsion from the party.
There is no factual or legal basis for this,” says Nagel.
In fact, there are strict requirements attached to such an expulsion.
A party member can only be expelled if he or she intentionally or seriously violates the principles or rules of the party and thereby causes it serious damage.
The party law presupposes this.
Gerhard Schröder: Expulsion from the SPD could be difficult
Problem: The condition "severe damage" is a legal term that is not precisely defined.
This is the main reason why it is difficult to expel Schröder from the SPD.
And even if the party's tribunal decides that the ex-chancellor should no longer be a party member, Schröder could challenge the decision in the ordinary courts.
However, the first hearing is scheduled for July 14th.
Lawyer Nagel has already announced that Gerhard Schröder will not appear at the appointment - there is no reason to justify it.
"He was, is and will remain a committed SPD member," said the lawyer.
Schröder criticized for relations with Vladimir Putin
The SPD sub-district sees things differently.
Schröder was criticized for sticking to business ties with Gazprom, Rosneft and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
So far, the former chancellor had only resigned from his supervisory board post at Rosneft.
(mse/dpa)
