Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany is now the country's second most popular party after overtaking Angela Merkel's coalition partners, a poll has shown.

AfD are now more popular than the Social Democrats (SPD), who co-rule the country with Mrs Merkel's Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union alliance.

The anti-immigration party are now on 18 per cent, having moved up two percentage points since a survey on September 9, reports DW.

The Deutschlandtrend poll by broadcaster ARD placed the SPD at 17 per cent after losing a point in the poll today.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany is now the country's second most popular party after overtaking Angela Merkel's coalition partners, a poll has shown. Pictured: AfD;s chairman Alice Weidel

Mrs Merkel's CDU/CSU alliance also lost a point, falling to 28 per cent - the worst result for the group since the survey began in 1997.

The AfD, which launched in 2013, first entered the national parliament a year ago after winning 12.6 per cent of the vote.

The group began as an anti-euro party, but has increasingly marketed itself towards those who are unhappy with Mrs Merkel's liberal immigration policies.

It has also been criticised for using rhetoric reminiscent of Germany's Nazi era.

Other groups have also gained from faltering support for the CDU/CSU alliance, with the Greens gaining a point, reaching 15 per cent.

AfD are now on 18 per cent. Mrs Merkel's CDU/CSU alliance lost a point, falling to 28 per cent - the worst result for the group since the survey began in 1997

The Free Democrats (FDP) also went up a percentage point and now stand at 9 per cent.

The news comes as Mrs Merkel revealed she would be working with her Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz to secure Europe's borders.

It is her latest move away from the open-door policy which has sparked a wave of protests in the country.

Mrs Merkel, who has faced a backlash since she allowed a million refugees into Germany in 2015, agreed to work with African countries to stop the flow of migrants.

She and Mr Kurz also welcomed the European Commission's plans to increase the staff of Europe's border agency to 10,000 people by 2020, DW reported.