BERLIN — Displaying a popularity unmatched by other Western political leaders, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany was re-elected on Tuesday as chairwoman of the center-right Christian Democratic Union with a thumping 96.7 percent of the votes cast at a national party congress.

Ms. Merkel, who is 60 and entering her 10th year in power, had no opponent in the race, so the question put to the party delegates was simply yes or no. She won 884 yes votes; 30 delegates voted no, and 5 abstained.

The result was a slight retreat from the last party election in 2012, when 97.9 percent of delegates voted yes. She has now won the party leadership eight times in succession.

Rallying the party faithful with the low-key rhetoric that is her trademark, Ms. Merkel put economic priorities ahead of foreign policy in a speech to the congress. Tacitly addressing critics who say she is an excellent tactician but a poor strategist, she stressed a need for boldness in facing the challenges of today.