威力彩玩法

The governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Germany grapples with the connections of some of its senior party members with Russian fossil fuel companies. Together with its coalition partners the Green Party and the Free Democrats (FDP), the party of chancellor Olaf Scholz decided to strip former SPD chancellor Gerhard Schr枚der of his right to an office in Germany鈥檚 parliament building and staff to fulfil duties expected of a former head of government, public broadcaster ARD . The Bundestag鈥檚 budget committee might strip Schr枚der of his privileges as early as this week, arguing that the Social Democrat who governed the country between 1998 and 2005 no longer uses the premises and personnel that he is legally entitled to and ceased to complete the 鈥渙ngoing duties鈥� resulting from his status as ex-chancellor, the article said. However, Schr枚der鈥檚 annual allowance and his right to personal security will not be touched by the decision. Schr枚der is considered a personal friend of Russian president Vladimir Putin and assumed various roles as a lobbyist for Russian energy firms soon after his time at the helm of Germany鈥檚 government ended. An initiative supported by the SPD leadership to kick the former chancellor out of the party so far has not yielded any results.

In a different case of Russian influence on German politics, the SPD state premier of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig, has come under fire over her role in the creation of a foundation aimed at supporting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, which makes landfall in the north-eastern coastal state. Her state government it would suspend the controversial Climate and Environmental Protection Foundation that was set up with financial help from Russia鈥檚 Gazprom in early 2021 to shield the pipeline project from sanctions threatened by the U.S. administration. For years, Schwesig had supported Nord Stream 2, while her SPD predecessor, Erwin Sellering, acted as the foundation鈥檚 chairman. The foundation would now be dissolved 鈥渋n an orderly process鈥�. Schwesig, who had already called the foundation鈥檚 creation a 鈥渕istake,鈥� promised the whole process would be carried out with due 鈥渢ransparency.鈥� She insisted the foundation鈥檚 purpose had been 鈥渢o further climate and environmental action鈥� in the state. She said allegations that the foundation had been controlled by the Russian government are 鈥渙utrageous speculation,鈥� S眉ddeutsche Zeitung . However, an investigation committee in the state parliament has been tasked with reviewing the foundation鈥檚 origins and aims.