German lawmakers chose Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as the country's ninth postwar chancellor on Wednesday.
Scholz will lead a coalition of Social Democrats, Greens, and Free Democrats, ushering in a new political era following 16 years of conservative government under Angela Merkel.
Scholz, 63, a former mayor of Hamburg who served as finance minister in the outgoing government, received 395 votes. Scholz needs a minimum of 369 votes to be elected — an absolute majority of all Bundestag seats.
According to the German constitution, Scholz will be officially named chancellor by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He is scheduled to take office at noon in the Bundestag.
