The Local, February 15, 2017

The most recent poll by YouGov published on Monday showed that 64 percent of Germans are in favour of having a new Chancellor after the election.

A significant 42 percent said that, after 12 years with Merkel in office, it is “definitely” time someone else took on the most important job in German politics. Meanwhile 22 percent said it was “probably” time for a fresh face.

At the same time, 19 percent said it was “probably best” for Merkel to stay in the job. Only eight percent said that she should definitely keep the job.

Even among supporters of Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), 42 percent of respondents said they had had enough of “Mutti.”

Various polls have showed the race for the Chancellorship tightening significantly over recent weeks, since the Social Democrats (SPD) chose Martin Schulz as their candidate.

Whereas in December the SPD were wallowing at historic lows of around 20 percent in polling, an INSA survey published on Monday put them at 31 percent, one percentage point ahead of the CDU.