Election campaign in Thuringia: Broadcaster defends TV duel Höcke/Voigt

Before the TV duel between the Thuringian CDU top candidate Mario Voigt and AfD state leader Björn Höcke, the broadcaster Welt rejected criticism of the format. “I am convinced of this duel, there are no doubts about it,” said editor-in-chief Jan Philipp Burgard of the German Press Agency.

“In addition to criticism, we also received encouragement.” He added that it was an attempt to find a new quality of content with the AfD. The television duel will be broadcast on Thursday evening (8:15 p.m.) on the Welt channel.

Political scientist: “A mistake”

Voigt and Höcke agreed to meet for the discussion after an argument on X (formerly Twitter). Both are their parties’ top candidates for the state elections on September 1st.

There was criticism, among other things, that Höcke – head of an AfD state association that has been proven to be right-wing extremist by the state Office for the Protection of the Constitution – received nationwide publicity through the format. The campaign network Campact criticized the fact that the debate on April 11th coincided with the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald.

Left leader Martin Schirdewan told “Welt”: “Anyone who offers Höcke a stage is making themselves an accomplice.” The left-wing politician called on CDU leader Friedrich Merz to intervene: the duel should not take place. “The CDU ennobles the brown agitator into a serious conversation partner and makes him socially acceptable.”

The political scientist Wolfgang Schroeder also criticized the Funke media group: “It is a mistake on Voigt’s part to arrange a TV duel with Höcke.” Voigt is thereby contributing to “further normalization and establishment of the AfD”.

World TV boss relies on confrontation with facts

World TV boss Burgard, however, said: “The AfD does not need television to reach people – it does this specifically via social media as unfiltered one-way communication, without critical questions, without classification, without contradiction.” A live situation in the studio and confrontation with facts, on the other hand, is the appropriate form to show voters who they are dealing with. “I see this as a boxing ring for democracy,” said the television journalist, who wants to moderate the duel with a colleague.

The duel came about like this: CDU state leader Voigt had told the “Welt” that Höcke wanted to let Europe die – probably in reference to Höcke’s sentence “This EU must die so that the real Europe can live.” Höcke then threatened X with an injunction, but then suggested settling the dispute differently: “How about a discussion – you decide the format – on the concept of Europe?” he wrote. “Let’s go then,” replied Voigt.

“Europe will be the core issue of this debate”

According to Burgard, several broadcasters applied to broadcast the exchange. “We are not just a news channel, we also see ourselves as a debate channel,” said the editor-in-chief. “I assume that’s why we were chosen.” His media company Axel Springer has stated in its principles that it rejects any kind of political and religious extremism and racism and is committed to Israel’s right to exist as well as to Europe. “Europe will be the core topic of this debate, so this is very fitting.”

Voigt recently said that he wanted to show that the CDU, in contrast to Höcke’s AfD, has concepts that work. “If you want something to change, you don’t have to vote for right-wing radicals,” said Voigt. The Thuringian SPD, on the other hand, called for people to ignore the duel and see something else.