Former German Chancellor Hospitalized for Severe Burnout

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, 80, is undergoing hospital treatment for burnout, as reported by the German news agency dpa. Schröder, who led Germany from 1998 to 2005 and was the leader of the Social Democratic Party—currently led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz—from 1999 to 2004, has faced significant criticism over his association with Russia. His involvement with Russian state-owned energy firms, coupled with his hesitance to sever ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has alienated him from Germany's political leadership.

A doctor's assessment indicated that Schröder is "suffering from severe burnout syndrome with the typical signs of profound exhaustion and a pronounced lack of energy." Schröder's lawyer, Hans-Peter Huber, said that on the doctor's advice he entered clinical treatment. Schröder was scheduled for questioning last month by a parliamentary commission in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania concerning the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. However, he missed that session due to illness. Schröder served as the head of the pipeline's board of directors. Nord Stream 2, having never become operational, was damaged in underwater explosions in the Baltic Sea in September 2022. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)