Angela Merkel facing criticism over COVID-19 strategy

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been praised at home and abroad for her reaction to the coronavirus crisis, but as voices of discontent grow louder, support for the government's strategy could be on the wane.

Though Germany began to lift lockdown measures last week, Merkel has urged caution and slammed growing impatience to shake off the curbs on public life introduced a month ago to slow contagion.

The restrictions, but also greater testing capacities, have seen Germany keep its mortality rate far lower than that of its European neighbours.

According to official figures, just 3.7% of the country's more than 150,000 confirmed coronavirus cases have led to death.

The restrictions have also met with public approval.

Almost three quarters of the population said they supported them in a Kantar poll published Friday.

In full-blown crisis just a few months ago, Merkel's CDU/CSU conservative alliance has meanwhile rebounded in the polls, jumping ten points in the last two months to 38%.