Last Updated:

2024-03-01 10:44:57

Olaf Scholz

German Chancellor since December 2021

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German Chancellor since December 2021

Olaf Scholz, a German politician, has served as Chancellor of Germany since December 2021. He has held various political positions, including Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance. Scholz has been actively involved in German politics since the 1970s, with a focus on labour and employment law. As Chancellor, he has led Germany's response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and played a key role in shaping the country's defence policy.

Angela Merkel Jens Stoltenberg Ursula von der Leyen Howard Schultz Karl Nehammer Otto von Bismarck Erling Haaland Borussia Dortmund Peter Thiel Paul Volcker

1958-06-14

Birth of Olaf Scholz

Olaf Scholz was born on June 14, 1958, in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony.

1975

Olaf Scholz Joins the Social Democratic Party

In 1975, while still a high-school student, Olaf Scholz joined the Social Democratic Party (SPD), marking the beginning of his political career.

1978

Started studying law at the University of Hamburg

In 1978, Olaf Scholz began studying law at the University of Hamburg as part of a one-stage legal training course.

1984

Meeting in East Germany with Egon Krenz

On 4 January 1984, Olaf Scholz and other Juso leaders attended a meeting in East Germany with Egon Krenz, then secretary of the Central Committee of the SED, and Herbert Häber, member of the Politburo of the SED-Central Committee.

1985

Olaf Scholz Earns Law Degree and Establishes Law Firm

In 1985, Olaf Scholz earned a law degree and established his own firm in Hamburg, specializing in labour law.

1998-10-26

Elected as Member of the German Bundestag for Hamburg Altona

Olaf Scholz served as a member of the German Bundestag for the Hamburg Altona constituency from October 26, 1998, to June 6, 2001.

2001-05-30

Olaf Scholz becomes Senator for the Interior of Hamburg

Olaf Scholz served as the Senator for the Interior of Hamburg from May 30, 2001, to October 31, 2001, succeeding Hartmuth Wrocklage and preceding Ronald Schill.

2002-10-17

Elected as Member of the German Bundestag for Hamburg Altona

Olaf Scholz served as a member of the German Bundestag for the Hamburg Altona constituency from October 17, 2002, to March 11, 2011.

2002-10-20

Olaf Scholz becomes General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party

Olaf Scholz assumed the position of General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party on October 20, 2002, under the leadership of Gerhard Schröder, and served until March 21, 2004.

2004

Villa in Dahlem Acquired as Pied-a-terre for Chancellors

In 2004, a villa in Dahlem, a suburban district of southwestern Berlin, was acquired as a pied-a-terre for the chancellors in West-Berlin. It was initially used by Gerhard Schröder between 1999 and 2001, and later served as a private residence for the Presidents of Germany.

2005-10-13

Olaf Scholz becomes Chief Whip of the Social Democratic Party

Olaf Scholz served as the Chief Whip of the Social Democratic Party from October 13, 2005, to November 21, 2007, under the leadership of Peter Struck.

2007-11-21

Olaf Scholz becomes Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs

Olaf Scholz assumed the position of Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs on November 21, 2007, under Chancellor Angela Merkel, and served until October 27, 2009.

2009

SPD Becomes the Opposition and Olaf Scholz Becomes Deputy Chair of the Party

In 2009, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) became the opposition, and Olaf Scholz became deputy chair of the party after voters overwhelmingly credited Merkel with the achievements of her government.

2010-01

Participant in Bilderberg Meeting

In 2010, Olaf Scholz took part in the annual Bilderberg Meeting in Sitges, Catalonia, Spain.

2010-06

Participant in Bilderberg Meeting

In 2010, Olaf Scholz took part in the annual Bilderberg Meeting in Sitges, Catalonia, Spain.

2011-02-20

Victory in Hamburg state election

On 20 February 2011, the Social Democrats led by Scholz won the Hamburg state election with 48.3% of the votes.

2011-03-07

Became First Mayor of Hamburg

Olaf Scholz served as the First Mayor of Hamburg from March 7, 2011, to March 13, 2018.

2011-03-11

Resignation from Bundestag

Olaf Scholz resigned as a member of the seventeenth Bundestag on 11 March 2011 shortly after his election as First Mayor.

2013

Opposition to public initiative on energy grids

In 2013, Olaf Scholz opposed a public initiative aiming at a complete buyback of energy grids that the city of Hamburg had sold to utilities Vattenfall Europe AG and E.ON decades before.

2015-03-02

Elected as Member of the Hamburg Parliament

Olaf Scholz served as a member of the Hamburg Parliament on March 2, 2015.

2017-01

Federal Minister of Finance

After the 2017 federal election, Olaf Scholz became the Federal Minister of Finance.

2018-01-01

Appointed as Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister of Finance

Olaf Scholz was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Germany and Federal Minister of Finance in 2018, and served until 2021.

2018-03-14

Appointment as Federal Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor of Germany

After the 2017 federal election, Olaf Scholz was appointed as the Federal Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor of Germany as part of the fourth Merkel cabinet.

2018-06-25

Vizekanzler ist Neu-Potsdamer

Olaf Scholz becomes the Vice Chancellor and relocates to Potsdam, marking a significant personal and political transition.

2019-01

Stance on China as an Economic Partner

In January 2019, Olaf Scholz stated that he sees China primarily as an economic partner and supported the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment between the EU and China.

2019-06

Decision on Party Co-leadership Candidacy

In June 2019, Olaf Scholz initially ruled out a candidacy for the party co-leadership but later announced his intention to run for party chairmanship with Klara Geywitz, which led to a runoff election with another candidate duo.

2019-09

Negotiation of Climate Package

In September 2019, Olaf Scholz negotiated the climate package in a key role for the SPD. Despite his positive statement about the achievement, climate scientists criticized the result as insufficient.

2019-10

Condemnation of Turkish invasion of Rojava

In October 2019, Olaf Scholz condemned the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish-controlled northeastern areas of Syria, also known as Rojava.

2019-12

Push for financial transaction tax at European Union level

In December 2019, Olaf Scholz pushed for the introduction of a financial transaction tax at European Union level, which was met with criticism and concerns about its impact on small shareholders.

2020-08-10

SPD Nominates Scholz for Chancellor

On 10 August 2020, the SPD party leadership agreed to nominate Scholz as the party's candidate for Chancellor of Germany at the 2021 federal election. This marked a significant shift in the party's leadership and political direction.

2021-09-26

German Federal Election Victory of Olaf Scholz and the SPD

On September 26, 2021, German voters handed the SPD a narrow victory over the CDU-CSU, leading to Olaf Scholz becoming the chancellor of Germany. This marked a significant political shift in the country's leadership.

2021-09-27

SPD wins most seats in Germany's landmark election

Preliminary official results show that the SPD has won the most seats in Germany's landmark election, marking a significant political shift in the country.

2021-10-26

Assumed office as Member of the German Bundestag for Potsdam – Potsdam-Mittelmark II – Teltow-Fläming II

Olaf Scholz became a member of the German Bundestag representing the Potsdam – Potsdam-Mittelmark II – Teltow-Fläming II constituency on October 26, 2021.

2021-11-01

Scholz's change of stance on COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Initially opposing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate during his campaign in the 2021 election, Scholz later expressed support for mandatory vaccination for adults and the closure of non-essential retail stores to unvaccinated adults.

2021-11-30

Olaf Scholz's Stance on General Corona Vaccinations and 2G

Olaf Scholz has advocated for general corona vaccinations and the implementation of 2G measures in retail settings.

2021-12-01

Scholz's Proposal for 2G Duty in Shopping

Olaf Scholz has proposed the implementation of 2G duty when shopping, indicating a proactive approach to COVID-19 containment measures.

2021-12-02

Olaf Scholz's Response to Corona Summit

Olaf Scholz has expressed the intention to react dramatically to the outcomes of the Corona Summit, indicating potential significant policy changes.

2021-12-06

Scholz elected as Germany's next chancellor

Olaf Scholz will be officially elected as Germany's next chancellor, marking the end of Angela Merkel's 16-year reign and the beginning of a new political era with the centre-left in charge.

2021-12-08

Olaf Scholz Becomes Chancellor of Germany

Olaf Scholz was elected and sworn in as Chancellor of Germany on 8 December 2021, succeeding Angela Merkel.

2022-01-11

Olaf Scholz Fast Facts on CNN

On January 11, 2022, CNN published fast facts about Olaf Scholz, providing information about his life and career.

2022-01-13

Scholz's call for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations

Scholz told lawmakers in the Bundestag that Germany should make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all adults, emphasizing the necessity of compulsory vaccinations to overcome the pandemic.

2022-02-22

Halt of Nord Stream 2 Approval

On February 22, 2022, Scholz announced that Germany would be halting its approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in response to Russia's actions. This decision had major geopolitical and economic repercussions.

2022-02-24

Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to immediate calls for sanctions from the United States and many EU countries. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a significant shift in Germany's foreign policy and defense posture in response to Russia's aggression.

2022-02-26

German decision to supply anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to Ukraine

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Scholz reversed his decision and pledged a supply of anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to Ukraine, marking a significant shift in German policy towards the conflict.

2022-02-27

Zeitenwende Speech

In an emergency meeting of the Bundestag on February 27, 2022, Scholz made the Zeitenwende speech, outlining a complete reversal of German military and foreign policy. This speech had a profound impact on Germany's defense and foreign relations.

2022-03-03

Announcement of plans to build new LNG terminals and import Qatari gas

Chancellor Scholz announced plans to build two new LNG terminals and signed a long-term agreement to import Qatari gas, reflecting a shift in German energy policy amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2022-03-17

Sending of portable missile weapons to Ukraine

Germany sent about 2,000 portable missile weapons against tanks and aircraft to Ukraine, demonstrating support for Ukraine's defense against Russian invasion.

2022-03-23

Increase in German defense spending and support for aiding Ukraine

Chancellor Scholz announced a one-off 100 billion euro fund for the Bundeswehr, representing a major shift in German foreign policy. He also emphasized support for aiding Ukraine in its resistance to Russian invasion.

2022-12-01

Scholz's rejection of Polish claim for further World War II reparations

Scholz rejected the Polish government's claim for further World War II reparations, emphasizing that Germany has settled past issues and compensation through valid treaties and high contributions to the EU budget.

2022-12-31

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's First Year in Office

Chancellor Olaf Scholz celebrated his first year in office by distributing chocolates shaped like the 'Ampelmann' as a playful nod to his 'traffic light' coalition. However, his first year has been marked by the unexpected challenges posed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, forcing him to navigate a crisis situation and transform the anticipated trajectory of his chancellorship.

2023-04-13

Olaf Scholz on the 2023 TIME 100 List

Olaf Scholz was listed as one of the 100 most influential people of 2023 by TIME magazine.

2023-09-04

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Jogging Incident

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz posted a picture of himself with an eye patch and bruising on his face after a jogging incident, leading him to cancel some plans over the weekend. He shared the photo on social media, expressing excitement to see the memes and assuring that the injury looks worse than it is.

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Olaf Scholz