German ex-Chancellor Schroeder urged to leave Scholz party

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — The co-leader of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party says former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder should leave the party. Schroeder’s ties to the Russian energy industry have left him increasingly isolated at home. One of two co-leaders of Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats said in a radio interview Monday that “Gerhard Schroeder has been acting for many years now only as a businessman.” Saskia Esken also said that Schroeder “earns his money with work for Russian state companies.” Esken replied when asked whether Schroeder should leave the party that “He should.”