Gerhard
took leave of the SPD today. His assessment of his tenure
caught my eye:
Speaking to an SPD congress in the
southwestern town of Karlsruhe, Schroeder said Germany had become a
more likeable and liveable place in the past seven years — even
though his center-left party had often made governing tortuous.
“We’ve made Germany a country that is more modern, more open to
the world and more just,” Schroeder told the 500 delegates, who
rewarded him with a 10-minute standing ovation. “It’s been a good
seven years for our country and our party.”
Speaking of seven years, German unemployment is at a
seven-year high of 11.7 percent.