The former head of government was heavily criticized for his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder did not violate the SPD’s partisan order with his commitment to Russian state-owned companies and his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin. A violation could not be proved to Schröder, the SPD Hanover sub-district arbitration commission ruled on Monday in the first instance. The Commission sees no grounds for a complaint or even an exclusion from the party. The decision can be appealed in two weeks.
17 SPD branches filed party-order lawsuits against Schröder, and there were other requests that did not meet the formal requirements. The arbitration commission in Hanover had negotiated the procedure in public in mid-July, but to the exclusion of the media. Schröder himself did not appear in person or send a lawyer.
The SPD sub-district Hannover region arbitration commission is responsible for the procedure because Schröder is a member of the local association of the SPD Oststadt-Zoo. However, up to two other instances are possible: in the SPD district of Hannover and in the SPD Federal Arbitration Commission. An appeal would have to be made in writing within two weeks and justified in writing within one month.
Schröder, now 78, has long been criticized for his proximity to Russia. He is considered a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has worked for Russian energy companies for years. According to the Kremlin, Schröder was in the Russian capital Moscow at the end of July.
(red./dpa)