The move to expel him was utterly shameful. A lot of smart people ridicule pacifists and people believing in peace through trade etc. They should be ashamed. Schröder was a great chancellor and he should be praised for a lot of good decisions during his tenure. His vision to position Germany and Europe in the middle between the US and Russia was farsighted, still is today. He kept Germany out of the Iraq war, turned out he was very right about that. He also fostered a shift towards renewable energy.

A lot of good could be said about his years as chancellor yet smug online "experts" on foreign policy of course know everything much better lmao.

[–] anachronist@midwest.social 1 points 32 minutes ago

Wasn't he literally on the Russian payroll? Cashing checks from gazprom.

[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

A majority of Germans hate Schröder, because he privatized important infrastructure and then went to "work" for Gazprom. He's one of the top examples of corrupt German politicians and by supporting putins fascist regime he is in part guilty of causing russias wars, even though he may not have forseen them. russias domestic human rights violations were impossible to miss and as a German he should have known better for historic reasons.

[–] ormr@lemm.ee 1 points 2 hours ago

Yes Schröder was also criticised rightfully for his neoliberal policies that so many socdem governments in the west introduced during these years. But IMO you also have to give him credit for the stuff he was right about, which is so rapidly forgotten. And having peaceful and tighter relationships with Russia, even if it is an authoritarian country, was one of his better ideas. As a European I want peace on this continent. And we're not gonna have peace against Russia, only with Russia.