The German Bundestag on Wednesday, December 8, elected Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as German Chancellor instead of Angela Merkel, who held the post for 16 years.

This was reported by European Pravda.

Scholz needed at least 369 votes out of 736 Bundestag deputies to be confirmed. He received the votes of 395 people's deputies. The vote was secret; the deputies were called in alphabetical order by name.

After the vote, Scholz went to Bellevue Castle, where President Frank-Walter Steinmeier formally appointed him chancellor.

Scholz then took the oath of office again in the Bundestag.

He and the 16 new members of his government will then travel again to the president, who will formally appoint them. In the afternoon the ministers will take the oath of office in the Bundestag.

Scholz will then go to the Chancellery for a power transfer ceremony with Angela Merkel.

Germany's Social Democratic Party, which won the September elections, formed a coalition with the Free Democratic Party and the Greens. The coalition agreement was officially signed on December 7.

Angela Merkel did not stand for election, her CDU party will choose a completely new leadership after its defeat in January.