Former German leader Gerhard Schroeder sues to get back Bundestag privileges

They were taken away over his close links to Russia

Gerhard Schroeder (REUTERS)

Former German leader Gerhard Schroeder is suing the Bundestag in a bid to reinstate privileges that it recently took away from him because of his links to Russia, his lawyer has said.

As an ex-chancellor, the 78-year-old, who held office from 1998 to 2005, had been entitled to a publicly-funded team of staff.

However, he was stripped of this right in May amid public anger at his ongoing links to Vladimir Putin, whom he befriended during his premiership. Most of his employees quit before the taxpayer funding was withdrawn.

Michael Nagel, Mr Schroeder’s lawyer, claimed the move from Germany’s lower house was “contrary to the rule of law”.

Mr Schroeder was not given a hearing before the budget committee which was responsible for the decision, Mr Nagel said.

The committee defended its action at the time by saying the former chancellor “no longer upholds the continuing obligations of his office”.

A court in Berlin confirmed that it had received Mr Schroeder’s complaint. The Bundestag refused to comment on the development, saying it had yet to see the lawsuit.

Over the last six months, Mr Schroeder has become a pariah in Germany for his failure to directly criticise the Kremlin, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky describing his behaviour as “disgusting”.

Vladimir Putin and Gerhard Schroeder in Berlin, Germany, on 8 September, 2005. (AP)

The former leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) has visited Moscow several times since Mr Putin invaded Ukraine, claiming the trips came in an attempt to promote peace.

The 78-year-old, who championed the Nord Stream pipeline which runs from Russia to Germany, was also criticised for being slow to stand down from the board of the Russian state-run energy company Gazprom.

Despite intense criticism from wider German society, Mr Schroeder’s local SPD chapter has decided not to expel him. It said earlier this week that there was no evidence he had broken any rules.