Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity has surged to a two-year high in Germany as voters cheered her management of the national economy and the eurozone crisis, a poll published Friday, Feb 3, showed.
As some European neighbours criticise Merkel's hardline austerity-driven solutions for the sovereign debt crisis, 64 percent of her constituents said they approved of her job performance, according to the poll for ARD television.
It was her highest share of the electorate since December 2009, three months after she was elected to a second term.
Merkel was bested only by her Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, a veteran politician who has been her right-hand man in the crisis. He drew approval from 65 percent.
However approval of Merkel's centre-right government was far lower at 42 percent amid infighting over issues including tax policy and privacy rights.
Respondents said they admired Merkel as "honest and not seeking her own advantage" (73 percent), for taking "correct and decisive action" in the eurozone crisis (61 percent) and for "not acting like a partisan politician but as someone who is above the fray" (55 percent).
Eight-five percent appreciated "how she represents our country in the world", AFP reported.
