“Recently, the SPD leadership in Berlin suggested that former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder leave the party because of his views on the war in Ukraine,” recalled “Stern.” Others wanted to expel him from the party and initiated expulsion procedures, which ended in failure. Now suddenly “an interesting change has occurred” and Schroeder can not only survive, but is even respected by the SPD – writes the weekly’s website.

According to “Stern,” “the SPD district in Hannover wants to throw a party for Schroeder at the end of October.” After weeks of wrangling, it was agreed that Schroeder should also receive what other party members received on the occasion of the anniversary: ​​honors, recognition, diplomas, pins, commendations, and visits from party figures.

“The organizers chose October 27 as the event date, the day Schroeder became chancellor exactly 25 years ago. Two birds with one stone,” notes “Stern.” About 50 people were invited, without the press, because they wanted to be among themselves.

Schroeder served as chancellor from 1998 to 2005, and from 1999 to 2004 he led the German Social Democratic Party. The politician has repeatedly been criticized for maintaining close personal ties with authorities in the Kremlin, including Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. After being dismissed as head of government, Schroeder worked for a Russian energy company for years and is still considered a close friend of Putin, who did not distance himself from him even after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022.

Several weeks after the war began, Schroeder visited Putin in Moscow, with the aim of mediating. On May 9, Schroeder attended a reception celebrating the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, hosted by the Russian embassy in Berlin.