Social Democrat Scholz to be new German chancellor as Merkel bows out

The newly-elected lower house of the German parliament is set to elect Olaf Scholz as chancellor on Wednesday as Angela Merkel leaves the political stage after 16 years at the helm of Europe's largest economy.
The Bundestag vote, by secret ballot without debate, is seen as a formality after Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), which emerged narrowly ahead in the late September elections, agreed a coalition deal with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP).
Following an early morning vote, Scholz and his cabinet of 16 ministers - seven from the SPD, five from the Greens and four from the FDP - are to be sworn in by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Formal handovers will then take place through the day, as the ministers in Merkel's coalition surrender their respective portfolios. Scholz, finance minister under Merkel, will be handing his to FDP leader Christian Lindner.
The incoming government has put dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and combatting climate change at the centre of its policies.
Merkel is scheduled to bow out formally at 3 pm (1400 GMT) as she hands over formally to Scholz, who has served as her vice chancellor for the past four years.