Ex-German chancellor no longer shunned, welcomed back into party, says new leader
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch has emphasized that Gerhard Schroeder's accomplishments should not be overlooked due to his ties with Russia. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Matthias Miersch, the new General Secretary of the SPD, has stated that Gerhard Schroeder should not be expelled from the party due to his ties with Russia.
Despite narrowly escaping expulsion for his unwillingness to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is still regarded as a valued member of the ruling Social Democratic Party. Miersch confirmed in an interview with Germany’s Stern magazine that there is still a place for Schroeder within the upper echelons of the SPD, stating, “Yes. Otherwise Gerhard Schroeder would have had to be expelled from the party.”
Appointed as the party’s new leader earlier this month, Miersch expressed his respect for Schroeder's overall contributions, acknowledging their differences in perspective on Putin and the conflict in Ukraine. He pointed out some of Schroeder’s significant achievements, including his opposition to the 2003 Iraq invasion, advocacy for same-sex partnerships, and support for educational funding.
Miersch remarked, “We never did politics together, but like many others, I was able to build on his work.”
These remarks are seen as an olive branch to Schroeder, who lost favor with party elites following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. As a close associate of Putin, Schroeder has not denounced the Russian president and has met with him multiple times since February 2022. He has criticized the US for undermining potential peace negotiations and has condemned Western military support for Ukraine, asserting his intent to continue engaging in dialogue with Putin.
In 2022, Schroeder had his parliamentary privileges revoked and faced several expulsion attempts from the SPD. However, a party arbitration committee in Hanover determined in April that he violated no party rules and could not be expelled.
Miersch’s views were supported by other influential party members, including MP Ralf Stegner, who noted that respect for those who have held leadership roles within the SPD does not require agreement on all viewpoints.
Schroeder served as Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, during which he approved the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline project. His time in office saw Germany’s economy thrive, largely due to affordable Russian gas. After his chancellorship, Schroeder took on directorial roles in the German-Russian consortium behind both Nord Stream pipelines and the Russian oil giant Rosneft, a position he resigned from in May 2022.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
Despite narrowly escaping expulsion for his unwillingness to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is still regarded as a valued member of the ruling Social Democratic Party. Miersch confirmed in an interview with Germany’s Stern magazine that there is still a place for Schroeder within the upper echelons of the SPD, stating, “Yes. Otherwise Gerhard Schroeder would have had to be expelled from the party.”
Appointed as the party’s new leader earlier this month, Miersch expressed his respect for Schroeder's overall contributions, acknowledging their differences in perspective on Putin and the conflict in Ukraine. He pointed out some of Schroeder’s significant achievements, including his opposition to the 2003 Iraq invasion, advocacy for same-sex partnerships, and support for educational funding.
Miersch remarked, “We never did politics together, but like many others, I was able to build on his work.”
These remarks are seen as an olive branch to Schroeder, who lost favor with party elites following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. As a close associate of Putin, Schroeder has not denounced the Russian president and has met with him multiple times since February 2022. He has criticized the US for undermining potential peace negotiations and has condemned Western military support for Ukraine, asserting his intent to continue engaging in dialogue with Putin.
In 2022, Schroeder had his parliamentary privileges revoked and faced several expulsion attempts from the SPD. However, a party arbitration committee in Hanover determined in April that he violated no party rules and could not be expelled.
Miersch’s views were supported by other influential party members, including MP Ralf Stegner, who noted that respect for those who have held leadership roles within the SPD does not require agreement on all viewpoints.
Schroeder served as Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, during which he approved the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline project. His time in office saw Germany’s economy thrive, largely due to affordable Russian gas. After his chancellorship, Schroeder took on directorial roles in the German-Russian consortium behind both Nord Stream pipelines and the Russian oil giant Rosneft, a position he resigned from in May 2022.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
