The European Parliament has voted by a large majority to impose sanctions on former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Schröder has been heavily criticized for his contacts in Russia, his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his positions in Russian state-owned companies. He is now being stripped of some of his special rights as a former head of government in Germany.
The budget committee decided to close its office on Thursday, the German news agency learned from committee circles. The other employees should take on other tasks, according to a request from the traffic light coalition, which found a majority in the committee.
Union also wanted to abolish his pension
However, Schröder is still entitled to a pension and personal protection. The union would also like to cancel the SPD politician’s pension. She accused Schröder, among other things, of damaging Germany’s international reputation.
Until now, former chancellors in Germany were entitled to a pension depending on their tenure, a multi-employee office for life, a driver and travel allowance. Now the traffic light coalition is generally in the process of reorganizing the alimony of former chancellors and federal presidents and making it dependent on the former top politicians actually taking on tasks such as patronage and speeches.
Assets can be frozen
The move is likely to increase pressure on the responsible European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Foreign Affairs representative Josep Borrell to submit a proposal for the inclusion of Schröder on the EU sanctions list. If subsequently accepted, Schröder’s existing assets in the EU could be frozen.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
