Thuringian AfD contender Höcke annuls scheduled debate prior to voting event
The broadcasters announced that Höcke had initially aimed to scrap the prearranged debate on Monday. At first, he cited personal issues as his reason, but he refused to divulge more details when prompted. However, he eventually withdrew from the event on Tuesday and outright called it off on Wednesday. Previously, the prominent AfD figure in Thuringia had graced the "Election Arena" on MDR television on Monday.
Similarly to Saxony, Thuringia will see a new state parliament elected this coming Sunday. As per the polls for the Thuringian election, the AfD is commanding a lead of approximately 30 percent. This puts them ahead of the CDU, led by their top candidate Mario Voigt, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), and the Left Party, headed by Minister President Bodo Ramelow. The SPD just manages to surpass the five percent threshold, while the Greens and FDP face the possibility of not making a comeback in the Erfurt state parliament.
Despite leading in the polls for the Thuringian election, the AfD's prominent figure in the state, Höcke, withdrew from a scheduled debate on MDR television, citing personal issues. This unexpected absence is occurring in the run-up to the elections in The Netherlands, where a new state parliament will also be elected this coming Sunday.
