Center-left leader Olaf Scholz became Germany’s ninth post-World War II chancellor on Wednesday, opening a new era for the European Union’s most populous nation and largest economy after Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure. Scholz’s government takes office with high hopes of modernizing Germany and combating climate change but faces immediate challenge of handling country’s toughest phase yet of coronavirus pandemic. Lawmakers voted by 395-303 with six abstentions to elect Scholz — a comfortable majority, though short of the 416 seats his three-party coalition holds in 736-seat lower house of parliament. That’s not unusual when chancellors are elected, and some lawmakers were out sick or in quarantine.
Merkel, who is no longer a member of parliament, looked on from spectators’ gallery as parliament voted. Lawmakers gave her a standing ovation. Scholz, 63, Germany’s vice chancellor and finance minister since 2018, brings a wealth of experience and discipline to an untried coalition of his center-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens and pro-business Free Democrats. The three parties are portraying combination of former rivals as a progressive alliance that will bring new energy to country after Merkel’s near-record time in office.
“We are venturing a new departure, one that takes up major challenges of this decade and well beyond that,” Scholz said Tuesday. If parties succeed, he added, “that is a mandate to be reelected together at next election.”Scholz, an unflappable and supremely self-confident figure who in past has displayed an ability to put aside setbacks quickly, cracked a smile as he was elected and as he was formally appointed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The new chancellor then returned to parliament to be sworn in. Scholz, who has no religious affiliation, omitted the optional phrase “so help me God” from his oath of office, as did Merkel’s predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder.