Björn Höcke opts out of the election campaign
The leading contenders for Thuringia's state election's first round will proceed without Björn Höcke from the AfD party. Höcke has opted out of the TV debate on ntv, scheduled for broadcast, due to health concerns, according to his spokesperson, who provided no further details. The election is on Sunday, and the AfD, with Höcke as their top candidate, is currently leading in the polls.
Höcke also announced his withdrawal from the final discussion round featuring all the top candidates, scheduled to air live on "Antenne Thuringia" and ntv on Wednesday at 5 pm. A spokesperson explained, "Mr. Höcke's health doesn't allow him to participate." He needs a break.
Already Monday, Höcke attempted to cancel the round, which had been set three months prior with the show's dates confirmed. At first, "private reasons" were his explanation, but he declined to provide more details upon request.
However, Höcke revoked his cancellation and apologized to ntv and "Antenne Thuringia" on Tuesday for any inconvenience caused. Yet, he canceled again last Wednesday morning, this time definitively. Stefan Möller, Höcke's co-state leader in the AfD Thuringia, will replace him.
Many spectators believe that Höcke's earlier TV debates, such as those on MDR, did not fare well. Nervousness and witlessness were reportedly his downfalls. It's not implausible that Höcke is avoiding any potential risks during the closing stages of the election campaign, given that the AfD has consistently polled around 30% for weeks.
Despite his health concerns, Höcke had planned to attend a hugging event organized by a local charity on Saturday evening, demonstrating his resolve to connect with voters on a personal level. Unfortunately, due to a sudden flare-up of his health issues, he had to cancel his appearance at the event.
