Gerhard Schröder and Franz Müntefering have disputed

Franz Müntefering and Gerhard Schröder decisively shaped social democracy at the end of the nineties and in the early 2000s – and thus also German politics. But now the tablecloth has been cut between the two former SPD-Granden.

Müntefering, now 85 years old, reported on Markus Lanz’s program that there has been radio silence between him and Schröder for some time. “We are not to speak well at the moment,” said the former SPD chairman. The reason: Schröder’s proximity to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, despite his war of attack in Ukraine.

Together with others, he asked Schröder at the beginning of the Ukraine War to distance himself from Putin: “This is not possible, a social democrat cannot accept that.” The former Chancellor has not yet responded to this. “There is silence between us for that long,” said Müntefering. Schröder recently did not congratulate him on his 85th birthday, and he himself did not report to his former colleague.

When asked by Markus Lanz, whether the break in contact with Schröder made him, Müntefering answered: “Yes.” There was no real friendship between men between him and Schröder, explained the former transport and labor minister. Politically, however, Müntefering and Schröder were a team of two that the SPD put on its stamp for years. They were “political friends”, Müntefering looks back.

He is deeply disappointed by Schröder’s attitude to Putin: “I expected him to see that this war has to end and that you can’t push it away somewhere.”

After the end of his term, the former Chancellor had taken over a position with the Russian state company Gazprom. He also adheres to his friendship with Vladimir Putin after the Russian invasion in Ukraine. “I made decisions and I stand by it, and I made it clear: maybe I can be useful again. So why should I apologize?” Because of its attitude, the SPD is at a distance from its former Chancellor and Chairman, the Bundestag’s budget committee has deleted his office and his employee positions.

Schröder initially made Franz Müntefering the Minister of Transport and later called him party chairman to the SPD general secretary. After Schröder’s re-election, Müntefering worked closely with him as chairman of the SPD parliamentary group. In 2004 he replaced Schröder as party leader because the Chancellor wanted to concentrate on government work. After Schröder’s term, Müntefering became Vice Chancellor under Angela Merkel.