She's In: Merkel Rumored to Be Seeking Fourth Term as Chancellor

Angela Merkel has apparently decided to continue her reign as Germany's top politician and will try to win a fourth four-year term as chancellor in 2017, Der Spiegel reported, citing unnamed sources.

Merkel has already discussed the matter with Peter Tauber, Secretary General of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Klaus Schüler, CDU's Federal Manager, the media outlet added. Bundeskanzlerin, who has led Germany since 2005, is the president of the center-right party.

Several weeks ago the chancellor also spoke about the election campaign with the president of the Christian Social Union, the CDU's sister party in Bavaria. Horst Seehofer, according to Der Spiegel, wants both parties to win an absolute majority but Merkel was skeptical that this was possible.

Germany is currently ruled by a grand coalition, or Große Koalition often stylized as GroKo, comprising the CDU/CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Merkel's first cabinet was also a grand coalition government of the CDU/CSU and the SPD.

Merkel will announce whether she plans to lead the conservative party into the next general elections in early 2016, the magazine noted.

56% of Germans would like #Merkel to stand for a fourth term as chancellor in 2017 elections, according to Forsa poll for Stern.

— Harriet Torry (@HarrietTorry) 18 февраля 2015

The chancellor enjoys high approval ratings at home but the last few months have been tough. She has been battered by the surveillance scandal, involving the NSA and Germany's intelligence service, criticized for her handling of the Greek crisis and mocked for reducing a teenage refugee girl to tears.