Storm of criticism of Russia’s former chancellor positions feed in Germany

Unlike Ikea, H&M, and Nijmegen Four Days Marches, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder drew no conclusions from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Gerhard Schroeder is a member of the supervisory board of the Russian oil group Rosneft and holds board positions at Nord Stream 1 and 2. Company in the summer. So far, Schroeder has held all those positions, roles that he got thanks to his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Shortly after his resignation as chancellor in 2005, Schroeder (77) took various positions in Russian energy companies and represented Russian interests in Europe. In 2014, in the weeks of the Russian invasion of Crimea, Schroeder celebrated his birthday in Saint Petersburg with the presence of Putin. At the beginning of February this year, Schroeder accused Ukraine of committing “arms rattling”.

Read also: Chancellor Schulz asks Schroeder to resign

Schroeder’s side activities don’t just damage Schroeder’s political legacy and reputation. Schroeder’s relations with Russia are mirrored in the ruling Social Democratic Party, and his lobbying efforts have left their mark. For example, it is difficult to imagine that without the work of Schroeder, who was well paid by Moscow, Nord Stream 2 could have been created; Nord Stream 1 was set during the Schroeder era. At the beginning of 2021, a foundation was established in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the state in which the gas pipeline reaches the shore, with the aim of completing the gas pipeline and protecting the environment in the state; Nord Stream 2 nv has donated €20 million for this purpose. Investigative journalists from weekly newspapers, among others from the mirror He indicated that this construction may have been designed in Moscow, and that it came through Schroeder and the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Manuela Schwesig.

Still an office in the Bundestag

On Thursday evening, Chancellor Olaf Schultz called on his predecessor Schroeder to resign from his positions. Four of Schroeder’s employees, including his speechwriter with whom he has worked for more than twenty years, resigned early this week. Schroeder’s office funding is also being reviewed. As a former chancellor, he is entitled to an office as well as staff in the Bundestag; In 2021 it cost more than 400,000 euros in tax money.

It is my firm belief that we cannot associate Gerd with Hitler

Schroeder’s ex-wife

Until this week, Schroeder was part of the Hall of Fame of 34 “Great Social Democrats” on the SPD website. Schroeder’s photo was taken this week; Now there are still 33 major social democrats. There is also a space elsewhere. At the Berlin airport branch of the popular political restaurant Ständige Vertre-tung, Schroeder’s photo was removed from the pub this week. Football club Borussia Dortmund stripped Schroeder of its honorary membership this week.

The city of Hanover also wanted to strip Schroeder of his honorary citizenship this week. Schroeder’s ex-wife, Doris Schroeder Kopf, an activist in state politics, opposed this decision. In her response, she wrote, “I am firmly convinced that we cannot put Gerd on the same page with Hitler.” Schroeder’s current wife, Soyeon Schroeder Kim, also defends her husband, especially on her Instagram account, where you can also find many photos of Gerd in many restaurants of the capital. Schroeder threatens Kim on Instagram with steps against the newspaper Hanoverian Allgemeinebecause next to the portrait of Gerhard Schroeder was the headline: “Without an iota of dignity?”