Olaf Scholz was sworn in Wednesday as Germany’s new chancellor, ending 16 years of rule by Angela Merkel. Scholz is a member of the country’s Social Democratic Party, or SPD. The 63-year-old had served as Germany’s vice chancellor and finance minister since 2018. Lawmakers in Germany’s lower house of parliament supported Scholz with a clear majority. He is the country’s ninth chancellor since World War Two. Scholz has promised to use his office to help modernize Germany and fight climate change. But his government faces the immediate problem of dealing with the country’s most difficult period of the COVID-19 crisis. After being sworn in, Scholz met later with Merkel, who officially handed over the chancellor’s office. Merkel wished Scholz a steady hand as the country’s new leader.