In Germany, Olaf Scholz will become chancellor and end the Merkel era

Published on : 12/08/2021 – 05:07

Two and a half months after the elections in Germany, the social democrat Olaf Scholz will become chancellor on Wednesday December 8, bringing the center-left back to power and definitively closing the 16 years of the Angela Merkel era.

The 736 members of the Bundestag resulting from the September 26 ballot must elect him by secret ballot from 9 a.m. There is no doubt about his election as the ninth chancellor of post-war Germany: his Social Democratic Party (SPD), which came first in the legislative elections, has a comfortable majority (206 seats), with its two new partners coalition, the Greens (118 seats) and the Liberals of the FDP (92). He needs 369 votes to be elected.

The result of this vote, expected in the morning, will then mark the withdrawal of Angela Merkel at the end of four mandates which, with nearly nine days, will not have enabled her to break the record for longevity held by Helmut Kohl (1982 -1998).

Tributes in shambles

The leader, who has received a mess of tributes in recent weeks, will permanently leave the chancellery after a handover ceremony with Olaf Scholz, her political opponent but also, game of alliances requires, her Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancellor these four last years.

Angela Merkel, at the height of her popularity not long ago, is putting an end to 31 years of political career, 16 of which have been leading the first European economy.

A convinced feminist, Olaf Scholz will take over the reins of a government made up for the first time as many men as women. Three of them will be at the head of key ministries: Foreign Affairs for the ecologist Annalena Baerbock, Defense and the Interior for the two social democrats Christine Lambrecht and Nancy Faeser.

The government will also be unprecedented in its political composition. For the first time since the 1950s, it will bring together three parties: the SPD, the Greens and the Liberal Democratic Party (FDP). Despite electoral programs that are sometimes at odds, these three parties quickly reached agreement on a program that gives pride of place to climate protection, budgetary rigor and Europe.

As tradition dictates, Olaf Scholz will reserve his first visit to French President Emmanuel Macron who should receive him on Friday.

With AFP