Global General

Merkel defends her government amid lowest popularity

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-22 14:58

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the performance of her coalition government on Wednesday, even as a poll shows the popularity of her government has fallen to the lowest level.

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Germany has earned "world recognition" in dealing with global financial crisis, eurozone debt crisis and the recovery of German economy, Merkel said at a press conference.

"The government has proved itself capable of handling the crisis," she said. The unemployment in Germany has kept falling for 12 months, which was taken as a "minor miracle."  

Merkel also confessed that the bitter voices among members of her coalition in recent months have been "unacceptable" at times, but she asserted that "the coalition has pulled itself together."

The latest Forsa poll published by the local magazine Stern on Wednesday showed that the coalition government only has 34 percent of support, the lowest level since the polling agency began the series in 1986.  

The major opposition the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens gained much more in this poll, earning 47 percent of support.