A clear majority of Germans do not want Angela Merkel to become Chancellor again, a survey conducted by the Civey Institute for the Funke Media Group revealed on Saturday.

Some 71% of those questioned said they do not want the veteran politician, who stepped down following last year's elections after 16 years as chancellor, back in office.

Still better than Scholz

However, some 43% of respondents said they think Merkel did a better job than current Chancellor Olaf Scholz is doing, while 41% said the opposite is the case, and 16% were undecided on the issue.

Incidentally, Merkel's popularity is greater in the east of Germany than it is in the west of the country. According to the poll, 52% of those surveyed in the east preferred Merkel to Scholz, while in the west of the country only 42% said so.

Civey Institute polled a total of 5,003 citizens on November 24.

DPA contributed to this article.

Edited by: John Silk