Asked who they would prefer as chancellor, 47 percent of voters aged 18 to 21 chose Merkel | Sean Gallup/Getty Images Half of first-time voters support Angela Merkel: survey Young people drawn to stability and continuity in uncertain times, pollster says.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has the support of just under half of first-time voters, a survey by polling firm Forsa Institut for Stern magazine and broadcaster RTL published Tuesday suggests.

Asked who they would prefer as chancellor, 47 percent of voters aged 18 to 21 chose Merkel. Just under a third of voters in the same age group (29 percent) favored Social Democrat Martin Schulz, her challenger in September's general election.

Manfred Güllner, the head of Forsa Institut, said young voters were looking for stability and continuity in uncertain times. "They know Chancellor Merkel, they grew up with her," he said. "They don't know Schulz as a candidate yet."

Among voters overall, Merkel won the backing of 43 percent of respondents while 32 percent opted for Schulz.

The figures show Merkel has a healthy advantage over Schulz in the leadership stakes. However, German voters do not directly elect their chancellor — they will choose parties and local candidates in the September 24 election.

The poll put overall support for Merkel's Christian Democrats at 36 percent, ahead of the Social Democrats on 30 percent. The Left Party and the far-right Alternative for Germany were both at 8 percent, followed by the liberal Free Democrats on 6 percent.