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The German Chancellor revealed her perspective of the EU changed after Britain voted to quit the bloc last June.

But, despite this, she said she was still determined to fight for even further European integration.

She cited the election of pro-EU Emmanuel Macron as French president as evidence that the bloc remains "strong".

Mrs Merkel said: "For many people, including myself, something changed when we saw the Britons want to leave.

"But we have realised in the past few months that Europe is more than just bureaucracy and economic regulation."

She claimed the "decades of peace" following the Second World War "would have been completely unthinkable without the European Union".

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You don't have all this in many parts of the world

Angela Merkel

The 63-year-old has putGermany's role in the EU at the heart of her bid to win re-election in September.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Mrs Merkel said many people have taken the EU for granted.

She said: "You don't have all this in many parts of the world. And that's why it is worth fighting for this Europe.

"That's why one of our election placards says: 'If Europe is stronger, then Germany will be stronger'. This is directly related."

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Recent opinion polls suggest the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader is on course to win a record fourth term.

A survey published by pollsters Emnid on Saturday put the centre-right CDU and its sister party, the Christian Social Union, on 38 per cent.

The Social Democrats (SDP) trailed on 25 per cent, while the Greens were on eight per cent.

The SDP has lost momentum in the polls after making gains initially following Martin Schulz's nomination as its candidate in January.

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'Brexit changed my view of Europe' Angela Merkel reveals shock as EU divorce talks begin - Express.co.uk