German chancellor and head of the German Christian Democrats, CDU, Angela Merkel, attends a regional party convention of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Muenster, Germany, Saturday, April 1, 2017. State elections for North Rhine-Westphalia are scheduled for May 14, 2017. (Friso Gentsch/dpa via AP)
The Associated Press
BERLIN (AP) - A regular poll of German voters shows the nationalist Alternative for Germany party slipping further amid infighting in its ranks, while Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc and its main challenger, the Social Democrats, remain in a dead heat.
The Emnid Sunday poll for the Bild newspaper showed both major parties' support unchanged at 33 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
The Social Democrats have been boosted in the polls since nominating Martin Schulz in January as Merkel's rival for the chancellery in the September election. That failed to translate to electoral success, however, in a state vote in Saarland last week, which Merkel's conservative party easily won.
The nationalist AfD fell one point to 8 percent, its lowest level in more than a year.
German chancellor and head of the German Christian Democrats, CDU, Angela Merkel, and the CDU top candidate for upcoming state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet, right, wave to the audience at a regional party convention of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Muenster, Germany, Saturday, April 1, 2017. State elections are scheduled for May 14, 2017. (Friso Gentsch/dpa via AP)
The Associated Press
German chancellor and head of the German Christian Democrats, CDU, Angela Merkel, speaks at a regional party convention of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Muenster, Germany, Saturday, April 1, 2017. State elections for North Rhine-Westphalia are scheduled for May 14, 2017. (Friso Gentsch/dpa via AP)
The Associated Press
German chancellor and head of the German Christian Democrats, CDU, Angela Merkel, speaks at a regional party convention of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Muenster, Germany, Saturday, April 1, 2017. State elections for North Rhine-Westphalia are scheduled for May 14, 2017. (Friso Gentsch/dpa via AP)
The Associated Press
German chancellor and head of the German Christian Democrats, CDU, Angela Merkel, speaks at a regional party convention of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Muenster, Germany, Saturday, April 1, 2017. State elections for North Rhine-Westphalia are scheduled for May 14, 2017. (Friso Gentsch/dpa via AP)
The Associated Press
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends the European People's Party congress, in St. Julian's, Malta, Thursday, March 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Rene Rossignaud)
The Associated Press
President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, right, congratulates German Chancellor Angel Merkel after her speech at the European Peopleâs Party congress, in St. Julian's, Malta, Thursday, March 30, 2017. At left, Malta's opposition National Party leader Simon Busuttil claps his hands. (AP Photo/Rene Rossignaud)
The Associated Press