Chancellor Procedure - Ongoing Legal Battle Surrounds Schröder's Former Workspace
There's a legal battle happening over the old office of ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the German parliament, Bundestag. The Oberverwaltungsgericht (OVG) Berlin-Brandenburg is handling the case starting from 10 am. Schroeder (80 years old) seeks to enforce a court ruling that the Bundestag should keep his office with rooms and staff. In the first instance, he lost the case last May 2023.
Gerhard Schroeder served as Chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and as SPD party chairman from 1999 to 2004. The Budget Committee decided to end his office in Bundestag in May 2022, stating that he was no longer involved in any duties related to his previous position. This decision was challenged in court by Schroeder.
The administrative court dismissed Schroeder's lawsuit in the first instance. According to the ruling, he has no right to an office for carrying out the tasks of his former role. In response, Schroeder filed an appeal.
Recent changes in the payment of former chancellors' offices
The current coalition government of the SPD, Greens, and FDP regulated the funding for offices of former federal chancellors, among others, in spring 2022. Now, it's dependent on whether these former politicians are still taking on tasks related to their previous office, such as engagements and delivering speeches.
Previously, Schroeder received harsh criticism from various parties due to his connections with Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Some of his staff even resigned following Russia's attack on Ukraine. These reasons were not mentioned in the resolution that the Budget Committee adopted.
