Merkel Falls Behind Social Democrats for First Time Since 2010
- German chancellor’s re-election campaign faces SPD poll bounce
- In Munich, Merkel’s Bavarian ally backs her fourth-term bid
Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, attends a meeting of European Union heads of state in Valletta, Malta, on Feb. 3, 2017.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing bloc was overtaken by the Social Democrats in a poll for the first time since 2010, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding her bid for re-election in September.
Merkel acknowledged the surge in support for the Social Democrats on Monday even as her Bavarian allies endorsed her candidacy, uniting her Christian Democrat-led bloc behind the chancellor. The SPD has seen a poll bounce since Germany’s second-biggest party nominated Martin Schulz as Merkel’s main challenger in January.