German chancellor's lead over main rival widens: poll

BERLIN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has widened her lead over her main rival in the Sept. 27 general election, according to a poll released Friday.

Merkel's personal rating has climbed three percentage points to 62 percent, the twice-monthly ZDF Politbarometer poll showed.

Her main rival, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier from the Social Democrats, saw his public support slump from 28 to 25 percent in the poll.

Public support for Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian ally, the Christian Social Union (CSU), was running at a steady 37 percent, while the Free Democrats (FDP) gained by one point to 13 per cent, ZDF said.