Olaf Scholz to take charge of Germany as Merkel era ends

Germany’s Parliament will officially elect Olaf Scholz on Wednesday as the country’s next Chancellor, bringing the curtain down on Angela Merkel’s 16-year reign and ushering in a new political era with the center-left in charge.

Mr. Scholz led his Social Democrats to victory against Ms. Merkel’s conservative CDU-CSU bloc in an epochal election in September, as the veteran chancellor prepared to leave politics after four consecutive terms in office.