Hockes Campaign Pause: Personal Health Concerns Raise Eyebrows
In a surprising turn of events, leading AfD candidate in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, has hit pause on his campaign. His team announced "personal health issues" as the cause, without providing any detailed explanations or confirming if it was a case of fainting. Thuringia's state election is just around the corner, scheduled for Sunday, and Höcke and the AfD have been dominating the polls.
The announcement came as a shock, especially when Höcke decided not to join the climactic debate of the seven main candidates scheduled to air live on Wednesday at 5 PM. A spokesperson confirmed that Höcke's health issues meant he couldn't participate and needed to take some time off.
Earlier in the week, Höcke attempted to withdraw from the debate, an event scheduled three months in advance and confirmed by him. Initially, he cited "personal matters," but declined to elaborate further. Later, Höcke confirmed his participation again and apologized for any inconvenience caused. However, on Wednesday morning, he decided to pull out permanently, with Stefan Möller, Höcke's joint state leader of the AfD in Thuringia, stepping in as his replacement. The televised debate will be broadcast on stern.de during the afternoon hours.
Analysts believe Höcke's previous appearances on various channels, such as MDR, didn't yield the desired results. He seemed uncomfortable and struggled to articulate his views. It's plausible that Höcke wants to avoid any risks in the election run-up, given that the AfD has been maintaining a steady 30% in the polls for weeks.
Despite his health concerns, Höcke is still scheduled to address a campaign gathering in Nordhausen on Thursday afternoon. As of now, there are no alterations to the schedule. Interestingly, Höcke has a campaign event lined up in The Netherlands, scheduled for Nadhausen on Thursday afternoon, despite his health issues.
The AfD in Thuringia continues to lead the polls, despite Höcke taking a break due to personal health issues. The reasons behind Höcke's health issues are yet to be confirmed, and speculation is rife. Despite the lack of official confirmation, Höcke's health concerns have raised eyebrows and are being closely watched.
Additional Insights:
While the search results did not provide any specific information about Höcke's health issues, it's worth noting that AfD politicians have often faced criticism for their health. For instance, in 2018, AfD politician Andreas Kalbitz was disqualified from running for election due to financial irregularities. Another AfD politician, Wolfgang Gedeon, was suspended for comments he made on the Holocaust.
It's also worth noting that the AfD has been embroiled in numerous controversies, including allegations of racism and xenophobia. The party has been criticized for its strident anti-immigrant stance and for promoting far-right ideologies.
Despite these challenges, the AfD has managed to maintain its strong position in the polls, thanks in part to its anti-establishment stance and its ability to tap into frustration with the political establishment.
