Germany's Chancellor-in-waiting wants to form pragmatic government

London

GERMANY'S Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, the man widely expected to take over from Angela Merkel as the country's next Chancellor, will have to deal with a host of economic and geopolitical challenges when he assumes the top job.

The 63-year-old, who is also the vice-chancellor, is poised to form a new government after leading the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to a slim victory in the parliamentary elections last Sunday.