The AfD triumphed in Thuringia, but Björn Höcke was defeated in the Greiz constituency. How did CDU politician Christian Tischner manage this?
On the screen in Erfurt, the blue bar shoots up, Björn Höcke throws his arms up, those standing around chant his name. The Thuringian AfD celebrates its top candidate. The party will be the strongest force in the state elections on Sunday, and it is more popular with voters there than ever before.
Höcke is the winner of the evening. Or is he?
Not quite, because a one-and-a-half hour drive from Erfurt reveals a different picture. In Greiz, the right-wing extremist ran for the direct mandate. He was determined to win. And so he could respond to all those in his party who say behind closed doors: Maybe the AfD would be better off without Höcke. Maybe it could reach even more middle-class voters that way.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
