The German parliament elected Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as its new chancellor this Wednesday (8th), ending 16 years of conservative rule under Angela Merkel and paving the way for a pro-European coalition government that has promised to boost green investment.
Scholz, 63, who served as deputy chancellor and finance minister in Merkel’s government, won a clear majority of 395 votes from Bundestag lower house lawmakers, said House Speaker Baerbel Bas.
After being appointed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Castle, Scholz will return to parliament to take the oath of office before lawmakers.
In the afternoon, Merkel will hand over the chancellery to the new leader of Europe’s biggest economy, which is facing a brutal fourth wave of coronavirus infections.
With his practical and objective manner, Scholz has positioned himself as Merkel’s natural successor and a safe pair of hands to guide Germany through challenges ranging from tackling the climate crisis to dealing with a more prominent Russia and an assertive China.
Scholz will lead an unprecedented three-way government coalition at the federal level with pro-spending green environmentalists and fiscally more conservative Free Democrats (FDP) – unlikely political companions in the past
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