Scholz’s Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats are set to take the reins just as Germany faces its biggest surge of coronavirus infections in the pandemic so far, a reality that somewhat overshadowed the launch.

The three-party alliance is a first for a German government and creates strange bedfellows, with two left-leaning parties and one, the Free Democrats, that in recent decades allied with the center-right.

Habeck also said measures planned by the government would put Germany on a path to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris climate accord.

The pro-business party’s leader, Christian Lindner, said that “together we have a mission to modernize this country.” He proclaimed that “we are going to digitize this state.” That’s a challenge in a country that has notoriously patchy internet and cellphone coverage and where government services are often offline.

Linder, who is set to become finance minister, also said the coalition would implement more liberal social policies.

The Social Democrats will get seven Cabinet ministers, including the defense and health portfolios, as well as the chancellery.

The Free Democrats will get four ministries, including the key finance portfolio that goes to Lindner.