talkpolitics | Meet Olaf

Germany's new chancellor was elected with 395 of a total of 707 votes cast in the Bundestag. 303 MPs votedagainst Olaf Scholz's candidacy, 6 abstained. 369 votes were needed to confirm him for the post.

The three parties in the ruling coalition - the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Liberals - have a 416-seat majority in parliament. Scholz was the only candidate for chancellor.

While taking the oath, Scholz omitted the sentence "And may God help me." Later, at Bellevue Palace, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier handed out orders appointing the 16 new cabinet ministers. He called on the new government to fight the pandemic resolutely and to unite German society. In his short welcoming speech, the head of state also drew attention to the high expectations abroad for the new German government: "The world is looking at our country, expectations of Germany are high," he said.

Olaf Scholz, 63, became Germany's ninth chancellor and fourth Social Democrat after Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schroeder. The incumbent Angela Merkel, after 16 years at the helm, officially handed over the post to her successor.

On Tuesday, the three parties of the new coalition officially signed the joint governance agreement. With this, for the first time in history, a coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals will be ruling at the federal level - the so-called "traffic light" because of the party colors of the three formations. They are committed to Germany's greatest industrial restructuring in more than 100 years, as well as to profound social reforms. The focus of the cabinet's work will also be climate protection. For example, by 2030, Germany must produce 80 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources.

But the first and most urgent challenge for the new government will be the pandemic. The first package of laws in this regard will be voted on in the Bundestag this Friday, including a proposal to introduce compulsory vaccination in certain professions.