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Olaf ScholzFederal Chancellor of Germany since 8 December 2021. Member of the SPD
Date of Birth: 14.06.1958
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Political Career in the SPD
- Member of the Bundestag
- Minister of Labor and Social Affairs
- Mayor of Hamburg
- Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance
- Candidate for Chancellor
- Federal Chancellor
- Personal Life
Early Life and Education
Olaf Scholz was born on June 14, 1958, in Osnabrück, West Germany. He joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1975 while attending grammar school. In 1985, he graduated from the University of Hamburg with a degree in labor law.
Political Career in the SPD
Scholz held various leadership positions within the SPD's youth organization, the Young Socialists (Jusos), from 1982 to 1988. He became the party's executive director in 2001 and general secretary in 2002. From 2009 to 2019, he served as deputy federal chairman of the SPD.
Member of the Bundestag
Scholz was elected to the German Bundestag in 1998. He took up various prominent roles, including parliamentary managing director of the SPD parliamentary group (2005-2007) and member of the parliamentary control committee overseeing intelligence services.
Minister of Labor and Social Affairs
In 2007, Scholz was appointed Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs by Chancellor Angela Merkel. He held the position until 2009.
Mayor of Hamburg
In 2011, Scholz became the First Mayor of Hamburg, the city-state equivalent of a prime minister. He served in this capacity until 2018.
Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance
Following the resignation of Sigmar Gabriel, Scholz was appointed Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance in Merkel's coalition government in 2018. He also served as acting chairman of the SPD after Martin Schulz's resignation.
Candidate for Chancellor
In 2020, SPD leaders nominated Scholz as their candidate for chancellor in the 2021 federal election. He won the party's support by a wide margin and led the SPD to a narrow victory in the election.
Federal Chancellor
On December 8, 2021, Scholz was elected Federal Chancellor of Germany, becoming the ninth person to hold the office. He is the second chancellor in German history not to have mentioned God in his oath of office.
Personal Life
Scholz is married to Britta Ernst, a politician, and former minister in Brandenburg. They have no children.
