Germany: Poll suggests Merkel's popularity recovering

BERLIN – A new poll suggests that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity is recovering after hitting a 5-year low last month.

The ARD television survey of 1,003 people found that 54 percent of respondents were satisfied with Merkel's work, up from 45 percent a month earlier.

Merkel's poll numbers have been volatile in recent months, apparently reflecting events surrounding Europe's refugee crisis. The new poll published Thursday found that satisfaction with Bavarian governor Horst Seehofer, the most prominent domestic critic of the chancellor's welcoming approach, was down seven points to 37 percent.

The poll, conducted by telephone Tuesday and Wednesday, had a margin of error of up to 3.1 percentage points.