Who is Germany's new Chancellor Olaf Scholz? 7 points

After 16 years, Germany has a new Chancellor. Olaf Scholz was sworn-in as the new Chancellor on December 8. Before this, Scholz served as the Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister (2018-2021) during Angela Merkel's tenure as Chancellor. So, who is Olaf Scholz, Germany's new Chancellor?

Here are 7 things you need to know about Olaf Scholz and his new government: 

1. Scholz's centre-left Social Democrats will govern Germany alongside the business-friendly Free Democrats and the Greens in his new government. 

2. Olaf Scholz joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany in 1975 as a student and has been the former vice-president of the International Union of Socialist Youth. He has also been Member of Parliament, first Mayor of Hamburg (2011–2018), and the Labour Minister (2007–2009) during multiple coalition governments under Merkel.

3. Due to his deep understanding of political processes and 'how to get things done', Scholz is often compared to US President Joe Biden.

4. Scholz is known to be a calm, steady hand during crises, and a pragmatic leader who strives for compromise. 

5. Scholz's new government has set a new record. All the ministries in charge of national security, international security and diplomacy are headed by women. The Greens' Annalena Baerbock will be the new Foreign Minister, the Social Democrats' Nancy Faeser will be the Interior Minister, and Christine Lambrecht will be the Defence Minister. 8 of the 16 Cabinet members in Scholz's governemnt will be women.

6. He has been nicknamed as the 'Scholzomat' by the media because of his tendency to be consistent, and his choice of mechanical-sounding words in press conferences. 

7. Scholz is married to a fellow SPD politician, Britta Erns, and he graduated from the University of Hamburg in labour law.