Olaf Scholz – Chancellor in waiting?

Olaf Scholz, the centre-left Social Democrat (SPD) candidate to succeed Angela Merkel, is one of Germany’s most influential politicians, with a reputation for being meticulous, confident and fiercely ambitious
    

Jun 14, 1958: Born in Osnabrück, Germany. Grows up in northern city of Hamburg. Joins SPD as teenager

1978-84: Trains as lawyer specialising in labour issues. Qualifies in 1985

1998: Elected to Germany’s parliament. Marries fellow SPD politician Britta Ernst

2002-04: Serves as SPD general secretary. Earns nickname of “Scholzomat” for his robotic public appearances
 
2007-09: Labour minister in Merkel’s first coalition government. Helps avert mass lay-offs during financial crisis by convincing firms to cut workers’ hours with state topping up their salaries – policy repeated during Covid pandemic
 
2011-2018: Mayor of Hamburg
 
Mar 2018: Becomes Finance Minister and vice-chancellor. Weathers criticism over his ministry’s handling of billion-euro Wirecard fraud scandal
  
Aug 2020: Named as SPD candidate for chancellor. Backs party’s flagship policies during election campaign – planned wealth tax and increase in minimum wage
       
Sep 27, 2021: Scholz says it is time for new coalition with Greens and liberals, after SPD claims election victory over outgoing chancellor Merkel’s centre-right bloc
  
  
Sources: AFP, BBC, Federal Ministry of Finance 
Picture: Getty Images 
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