German chancellor-designate Scholz hails groundbreaking new coalition

BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz on Wednesday hailed his Social Democrats’ new so-called “traffic light” coalition with the Greens and liberal Free Democrats as a groundbreaking alliance that he said will modernise the country.

“The first traffic light (in Germany) was erected in Berlin in 1924 in Potsdamer Platz. At that time, it was still an unusual technology. ‘Can it work?’ people asked sceptically,” Scholz told a news conference in Berlin.

“Today, the traffic light is indispensable when it comes to regulating things clearly and providing the right orientation and ensuring that everyone moves forward safely and smoothly. My ambition as chancellor is that this traffic light alliance will play a similarly groundbreaking role for Germany,” he said.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Writing by Paul Carrel)