Some 71% of those questioned do not want the conservative politician, who stepped down following last year's elections after 16 years as chancellor, back in office, according to a representative online survey conducted by the Civey Institute for the Funke Media Group. Less than a quarter - or 23% - would like to see Merkel at the helm of Europe's biggest economy again, the poll found. However, some 43% of respondents said they think Merkel did a better job than current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat, while 41% said the opposite is the case. Civey polled a total of 5,003 citizens on November 24.