Second party approves deal for Scholz’s new German government

Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats have approved a deal to form a new government with two centre-left parties, moving chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz a step closer to taking office as the country’s new leader this week.

The Free Democrats reached an agreement last month to form a coalition with Mr Scholz’s Social Democrats and the environmentalist Greens, effectively crossing the aisle to ally with the two parties.