Scholz party rejects bid to expel German ex-leader Schroeder
Local officials with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party rejected a bid to expel former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder over his close ties to Russia, the news agency dpa reported Monday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Local officials with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party rejected a bid to expel former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder over his close ties to Russia, the news agency dpa reported Monday.
An arbitration committee of the center-left Social Democrats’ branch in Hannover, where Schroeder lives, considered 17 applications from party members for proceedings against him.
Schroeder’s longstanding connections to the Russian energy sector and refusal to distance himself fully from President Vladimir Putin after Russia invaded Ukraine have left his political standing in tatters.
However, the SPD committee determined his actions don't constitute a breach of the party’s rules, according to dpa.
His expulsion from the SPD had been seen as unlikely. In Germany, expelling party members is a complicated and often lengthy process that frequently fails. However, an appeal of Monday’s decision is still possible.
Schroeder, who served as chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and was the Social Democrats’ leader from 1999 to 2004, has shown no signs of heeding calls from senior party figures to tone down his rhetoric on Russia or leave the party of his own accord.
That has come with political consequences within Germany. In May, German lawmakers agreed to shut down Schroeder’s taxpayer-funded office, and he gave up the title of honorary citizen of Hannover, preempting a likely decision by city officials.
Schroeder has shrugged off the pressure and continued to maintain his ties with Putin. He most recently met with the Russian leader on a visit to Moscow in late July.