Scholz, Olaf (1958-…), a German politician, became chancellor of Germany in 2021. He had previously served as minister of finance and vice chancellor under Chancellor Angela Merkel. In 2018, Merkel chose not to seek reelection. In 2020, Scholz was nominated as candidate for chancellor by the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Scholz campaigned as a centrist. His platform included raising the minimum wage, strengthening German industry, and fighting climate change. The SDP defeated Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in elections in September 2021. However, the SDP did not win a majority of seats in the Bundestag, the German parliament, forcing Scholz to seek a coalition government. In December, Scholz became chancellor at the head of a coalition that included members of the Green and Free Democrat parties.
Scholz was born in Osnabrück, in western Germany, on June 14, 1958. He was raised in Hamburg. Scholz joined the Social Democratic Party at the age of 17. He graduated from the University of Hamburg with a law degree in 1984. Scholz began his political career as the elected representative for Hamburg Altona in the Bundestag in 1998. He held the position until 2001, when he became the senator (minister) for the interior of Hamburg. He was reelected to the Bundestag in 2002. Scholz served as general secretary of the Social Democratic Party from 2002 to 2004. He worked within the party as a spokesperson and as chief whip—the officer charged with ensuring party discipline and loyalty. In 2007, he became the minister of labor and social affairs under Merkel. In 2009, he became the deputy leader of the Social Democratic Party.
Scholz was elected mayor of Hamburg in 2011. He served in that position until 2018, when he became Merkel’s minister of finance and vice chancellor. Scholz drafted successful rescue packages during the COVID-19 pandemic. He managed the Next Generation EU fund, providing relief to member states of the European Union harmed by the pandemic.
