Olaf Scholz (born 14 June 1958) is a German lawyer and politician who served as the Federal Chancellor of Germany between 2021 and 2025. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and has held several political positions during his career. Before becoming Chancellor, Scholz served as Vice Chancellor of Germany and as the Federal Minister of Finance from 2018 until 2021.
Earlier in his political career, Scholz was the Mayor of Hamburg, a position he held from 2011 to 2018. He also served as deputy leader of the SPD for a decade, from 2009 until 2019. Prior to these roles, he was the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs from 2007 to 2009.
Scholz also served as a directly elected member of the German Bundestag. He first held a seat in the Bundestag from 1998 to 2001 and later returned, serving again from 2002 until 2011. Since 2021, he has served as the Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Potsdam.
