Gerhard Schröder

Gerhard Schröder
Born	Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder 7 4, 1944
Birthplace	Blomberg, Nazi Germany
Nationality	German
Occupation	Politician, lawyer, lobbyist
Known for	Chancellor of Germany (1998–2005), Agenda 2010 labour market reforms, opposition to the Iraq War
Education	University of Göttingen (law degree)
Children	3
Awards	Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder (born 7 April 1944) is a German former politician and lobbyist who served as the Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) since 1963, Schröder rose through the ranks of German politics from humble origins in postwar Lower Saxony, becoming a lawyer in Hanover before entering full-time politics. He served as Minister-President of Lower Saxony from 1990 to 1998 before defeating the long-serving Helmut Kohl in the 1998 German federal election to become chancellor, leading a coalition government with Alliance 90/The Greens. As chancellor, he implemented the controversial Agenda 2010 programme of labour market and welfare reforms and, together with French President Jacques Chirac, refused to join the Coalition of the Willing in the 2003 Iraq War. After losing the 2005 German federal election, Schröder was succeeded by Angela Merkel. In retirement, his extensive business relationships with Russian state-owned energy companies—including Nord Stream AG, Rosneft, and Gazprom—generated significant controversy, particularly following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Early Life

Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder was born on 7 April 1944 in Blomberg, a small town in the Lippe district of what was then Nazi Germany, during the final years of World War II. His father, Fritz Schröder, was a soldier in the Wehrmacht who was killed in combat in Romania on 4 October 1944, just six months after Gerhard's birth. Schröder never knew his father. His mother, Erika, was left to raise Gerhard and his siblings alone in conditions of severe poverty in postwar Germany.

Schröder grew up in modest circumstances in Lower Saxony. The family faced economic hardship in the years following the war, and his mother worked as a cleaning woman to support her children. These early experiences of poverty and deprivation would later inform Schröder's political orientation and his identification with the working class. He did not follow a traditional academic path in his youth; instead, he left school early and initially worked as a retail salesman and in other manual jobs before pursuing further education through night school.

Schröder joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1963 at the age of nineteen, beginning a political affiliation that would span more than six decades. His entry into the SPD reflected his working-class background and his conviction in social democratic values during a period of significant political change in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Through determination and self-education, Schröder eventually earned the qualifications necessary to attend university, a path that was unusual for someone of his socioeconomic background in 1960s Germany. His rise from fatherless war child to the highest political office in Germany became a central element of his public narrative.

Education

After obtaining his secondary school qualifications through evening classes, Schröder enrolled at the University of Göttingen to study law. He completed his legal studies and passed the state law examinations, qualifying as a lawyer. He subsequently practised law in Hanover, where he built his professional career before transitioning to full-time politics. During his time at the University of Göttingen, Schröder was active in student politics and the Young Socialists (Jusos), the SPD's youth wing, where he developed his political skills and built connections within the party apparatus.

His legal training provided him with a foundation in argumentation and public speaking that served him throughout his political career, and his professional base in Hanover established the city as the centre of his political life for decades to come.

Career

Early Political Career

Schröder's political career began in earnest through his involvement with the Young Socialists in the SPD (Jusos), the youth organisation of the Social Democratic Party. He served as chairman of the Jusos from 1978 to 1980, positioning himself on the left wing of the SPD during a period of intense ideological debate within the party.

He was first elected to the Bundestag (the German federal parliament) in 1980, representing the constituency of Hannover-Land I. He served as a member of the Bundestag from 4 November 1980 to 29 March 1983, and again from 29 March 1983 to 1 July 1986 on the SPD's Lower Saxony list. During this period, Schröder gained experience in federal politics and established himself as an ambitious and media-savvy politician within the SPD.

In 1986, Schröder shifted his focus to state politics in Lower Saxony. He was elected to the Landtag of Lower Saxony for the Lehrte constituency and served as Leader of the Opposition from 9 July 1986, opposing the government of Minister-President Ernst Albrecht of the CDU.

Minister-President of Lower Saxony (1990–1998)

On 21 June 1990, Schröder became Minister-President of Lower Saxony after the SPD won the state election, succeeding Ernst Albrecht. He served as deputy minister-president with Gerhard Glogowski. As Minister-President, Schröder governed one of Germany's largest states for eight years, gaining executive experience and a reputation as a pragmatic, centrist social democrat who was willing to work with business interests.

During his tenure in Lower Saxony, Schröder sat on the supervisory board of Volkswagen, the automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony. This connection to the corporate world foreshadowed his later approach to economic policy as chancellor and his post-political career in the private sector.

Schröder also served as President of the Bundesrat, the upper house of the German parliament representing the federal states, from 1 November 1997 to 27 October 1998, succeeding Erwin Teufel.

His success in Lower Saxony and his telegenic personality made him the SPD's preferred candidate to challenge the long-serving Chancellor Helmut Kohl in the 1998 federal election.

Chancellor of Germany (1998–2005)

1998 Election and Formation of Government

In the federal election of 27 September 1998, Schröder led the SPD to a decisive victory over Helmut Kohl's CDU/CSU, ending sixteen years of CDU-led government. Schröder became the first SPD chancellor since Helmut Schmidt and formed a coalition government with Alliance 90/The Greens, known as the "red-green coalition," with Joschka Fischer of the Greens serving as Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister. Schröder was sworn in as Chancellor on 27 October 1998.

The 1998 election was notable as the first time in the history of the Federal Republic that a sitting chancellor was voted out of office through a complete change of government. Schröder's campaign emphasised modernisation, economic reform, and generational change. He served under three federal presidents during his chancellorship: Roman Herzog, Johannes Rau, and Horst Köhler.

Domestic Policy and Agenda 2010

Schröder's chancellorship was defined domestically by his ambitious programme of economic and labour market reforms. Faced with persistently high unemployment—particularly in the former East Germany—and a stagnating economy, Schröder introduced the Agenda 2010 programme in March 2003. This comprehensive reform package restructured Germany's welfare state, changed the system of unemployment benefits, and introduced measures designed to increase labour market flexibility.

The centrepiece of Agenda 2010 was the Hartz reforms, named after Peter Hartz, the head of a commission on labour market reform. The reforms merged unemployment assistance and social assistance into a single, lower benefit known as Arbeitslosengeld II (commonly called "Hartz IV"), tightened conditions for receiving unemployment benefits, and promoted temporary and part-time employment. These measures proved deeply controversial within Schröder's own party and among trade unions, traditional allies of the SPD. Critics accused Schröder of dismantling the German social safety net, while supporters argued the reforms were necessary to restore economic competitiveness.

The internal party opposition to Agenda 2010 contributed to the departure of Oskar Lafontaine, Schröder's former rival and predecessor as SPD leader, who eventually left the SPD entirely and co-founded the Left Party.

Schröder served as Leader of the SPD from 12 March 1999, succeeding Lafontaine, until 21 March 2004, when he was succeeded by Franz Müntefering. During his time as party leader, his general secretaries included Müntefering and Olaf Scholz, who would later become Chancellor of Germany himself.

Foreign Policy and Opposition to the Iraq War

Schröder's foreign policy was marked by a willingness to assert German interests independently from the United States, most notably in his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Together with French President Jacques Chirac, Schröder refused to join the U.S.-led Coalition of the Willing and vehemently criticised the United States for Operation Iraqi Freedom. This stance placed significant strain on German-American relations but was popular domestically and helped Schröder in his 2002 re-election campaign.

At the 41st Munich Security Conference in 2005, Schröder advocated for a "truly strategic partnership with Russia," a position that would later be seen as the beginning of the close German-Russian energy relationship that culminated in the Nord Stream pipeline projects.

Schröder's foreign policy also included Germany's participation in the NATO intervention in Kosovo in 1999, which was significant as the first deployment of German military forces in a combat operation since World War II. This decision was controversial, particularly within the SPD and the Greens.

2005 Election and End of Chancellorship

In May 2005, following the SPD's defeat in the North Rhine-Westphalia state election, Schröder called for early federal elections, which were held on 18 September 2005. The SPD under Schröder performed better than polls had predicted, but the party ultimately lost to Angela Merkel's CDU/CSU. After weeks of coalition negotiations, Schröder stood down as Chancellor on 22 November 2005, and Merkel was sworn in as his successor.

Post-Chancellorship and Russian Business Ties

Shortly after leaving office, Schröder's post-political career became a source of controversy. Within weeks of his departure from the chancellorship, it was announced that he would become chairman of the shareholders' committee of Nord Stream AG, the consortium building the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. The timing of this appointment—coming so soon after Schröder had approved the pipeline project as chancellor—drew accusations of a conflict of interest.

Schröder subsequently accumulated additional positions with Russian energy interests. He served as chairman of the board of Rosneft, the Russian state-owned oil company, and was nominated for a seat on the board of Gazprom, the Russian state gas monopoly. He also held a role as a global manager for the investment bank Rothschild.

According to The New York Times, Schröder was paid approximately $1 million per year by Russian-controlled energy companies.

In addition to his energy sector roles, Schröder served as chairman of the board of the football club Hannover 96.

Russia Controversy and the Invasion of Ukraine

Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Schröder faced severe criticism for his long-standing business and personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Critics accused him of having served as a lobbyist for Russian interests and of having facilitated Germany's energy dependence on Russia through the Nord Stream pipeline projects.

In response to growing pressure, Schröder resigned from the chairmanship of Nord Stream AG in 2022 and paused his plans to join the board of Gazprom. However, he continued to serve as a member of the board of Rosneft.

In March 2022, the Public Prosecutor General of Germany initiated proceedings related to accusations against Schröder of complicity in crimes against humanity due to his role in Russian state-owned corporations. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group demanded that Schröder be included in European Union sanctions against individuals with ties to the Russian government.

Within the SPD, there were calls for Schröder's expulsion from the party. However, an SPD party arbitration committee ruled in March 2023 that Schröder had not violated any party rules and would remain a member of the party.

In October 2025, Schröder was questioned regarding the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, reflecting his continued involvement in the political fallout from the pipeline projects more than two decades after he first championed them.

As of early 2026, Schröder continued to make public statements about Russia, urging an end to Russia's "demonization" and calling for a resumption of energy cooperation between Europe and Russia, positions that drew sharp rebukes from Ukrainian officials. A 2025 article in the Financial Times reported that Schröder refused to serve as "Germany's scapegoat" for the country's energy policy failures.

Personal Life

Schröder has been married five times, a fact that has attracted considerable media attention in Germany. His marriages included his fourth wife, Doris Schröder-Köpf, a journalist, from whom he later separated. He has three children. Schröder resides in the Zoo district of Hanover-Mitte, Hanover, a city that has been central to his personal and professional life since his early career as a lawyer.

His personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a subject of scrutiny. The two men have maintained a friendship that has persisted through Schröder's post-chancellorship career in Russian energy companies. Schröder's birthday celebrations have been attended by Putin, and the former chancellor has consistently defended his relationship with the Russian president even after the invasion of Ukraine.

In November 2016, Schröder represented Germany at the funeral of Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana.

Recognition

Schröder has received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, one of the country's highest civilian honours. During his time in office and in the years immediately following, he was recognised for his role in modernising the German economy through the Agenda 2010 reforms, which economists credited with laying the groundwork for Germany's subsequent economic recovery and period of low unemployment in the 2010s.

He served in various advisory and honorary capacities following his chancellorship, including membership in the advisory council of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and involvement with the Dresden Frauenkirche.

However, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Schröder's public standing in Germany declined sharply. Several honorary positions and privileges were revoked or withdrawn. Much of the staff assigned to his former-chancellor office was reduced, and he became, in the words of The New York Times, "a pariah" in German public life.

Legacy

Schröder's legacy in German politics remains deeply contested. On one hand, the Agenda 2010 reforms he championed as chancellor are credited by many economists and policymakers with transforming the German labour market and creating the conditions for the economic boom that Germany experienced in the late 2000s and 2010s. Germany went from being called "the sick man of Europe" during Schröder's early chancellorship to becoming the economic engine of the European Union. The reforms, however painful politically for the SPD, are seen by supporters as having been necessary structural adjustments.

His opposition to the Iraq War in 2003, together with Jacques Chirac of France, is viewed as a defining moment in post-Cold War European foreign policy. Schröder's refusal to participate in the American-led invasion was vindicated in the eyes of many when the stated justification for the war—Iraqi weapons of mass destruction—proved unfounded.

Conversely, Schröder's advocacy for deep energy ties with Russia, culminating in the Nord Stream pipelines, is viewed by critics as a strategic error that left Germany dangerously dependent on Russian natural gas. The full consequences of this dependency became apparent after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when Germany was forced to rapidly find alternative energy sources at considerable economic cost. Twenty years after leaving office, Schröder remains, as Le Monde described him, "a controversial figure in Germany."

His personal enrichment through Russian energy companies after leaving office, and his refusal to sever ties with Vladimir Putin even after the invasion of Ukraine, have overshadowed much of his political legacy and raised broader questions about the revolving door between politics and corporate lobbying in Europe.