Overview

• Gerhard Schröder has decided not to pursue further legal action regarding his entitlement to a Bundestag office, citing health reasons.
• The dispute began in May 2022 when the Bundestag Haushaltsausschuss decommissioned Schröder’s state-funded office, citing his lack of official duties.
• After initial litigation in administrative courts, the Bundesverwaltungsgericht ruled that only the Bundesverfassungsgericht could resolve the constitutional issue.
• The legal question of whether former chancellors are entitled to state-funded offices and support staff remains unresolved.
• The case highlights the absence of a formal legal framework governing office privileges for former chancellors, a practice traditionally based on political custom.