The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SDPG) refused to deprive the membership of ex-Chancellor Germany Gerhard Schroeder, writes the publication Süddeutsche Zeitung.
As the publication notes, ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder can remain in the SDPG. The Arbitration Commission of the SDPG district of Hannover rejected all petitions to exclude it from the party. According to the commission, the friendship of Gerhard with Russian President Vladimir Putin is his personal affair. In addition, by decision of the arbitration, the contacts of Schroeder with Russian corporations also do not harm the parties. As noted in the publication, if the commission made another decision, similar accusations could be brought to the German government due to import of gas from Russia.