Lying in a clinch: SPD chairman Saskia Esken and former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. © Michael Kappeler/Christoph Soeder/dpa
The closeness to Vladimir Putin is to blame: the SPD is breaking with Gerhard Schroeder. In any case, the former chancellor is unwelcome at the party congress.
Because of its proximity to Russia and its President Vladimir Putin, the SPD has made an open break with Gerhard Schroeder. For example, the incumbent party leader Saskia Esken declared the former chancellor an undesirable person at the upcoming party congress. "I can no longer recognize Gerhard Schroeder as the former chancellor and former party chairman. I see him as a businessman who pursues his business interests," Esken said, explaining the party's actions.
Trouble with Gerhard Schroeder: SPD invites former chancellor to party congress
At the party congresses, it is a tradition that the former party leaders are invited. After his chancellorship, Gerhard Schroeder (SPD) attended several meetings of the party's highest body and even appeared as a speaker - most recently in 2017. But at the next party congress, which is to take place in Berlin from December 8 to 10, he must now stay outside.
"We will keep it as we have now done at the celebration of the 160th anniversary of the SPD," Esken told the dpa news agency on Monday (29 May). In contrast to other ex-party leaders, Schroeder had already not received an invitation to the anniversary ceremony last Tuesday at the party headquarters in Berlin.
Because of business with Gazprom: Schroeder
The now 79-year-old Schroeder was chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and party chairman from 1999 to 2004. After being voted out of office as head of government, he worked for Russian energy companies such as Gazprom for many years and is still considered a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, from whom he did not renounce even after the Russian attack on Ukraine. A few weeks after the start of the war, Schroeder even visited Putin in Moscow - ostensibly to mediate.
After the Russian invasion, the party leadership has repeatedly distanced itself clearly from Schroeder, declaring him isolated in the party. However, a party expulsion procedure initiated by 17 party branches failed. Most recently, Schroeder had caused an outcry because he had taken part in a celebration of the Russian embassy in Germany in Munich.
"More important things to do": Saskia Esken wants to put an end to the Schroeder debate
Regardless of this, for Esken, the discussion about Schroeder is now over. "The SPD has important tasks as a party and as a leading coalition partner – we are developing further programmatically and getting involved in the work of the coalition. In this respect, we have more important things to do than talk about Gerhard Schröder." (jkf/
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