Björn Höcke, the prominent AfD candidate in Thuringia, has taken a brief break from the campaign due to "personal health issues." The Thuringian state election is just around the corner, and Höcke's health concerns come as the AfD is leading in the polls. Despite the absence, Höcke will attend a rally in Nordhausen on Thursday. In a surprising turn of events, Stefan Möller, co-chairman of the AfD in Thuringia, will represent Höcke in the live TV debate on Wednesday, as the original plan had Höcke participating.
Initially, Höcke attempted to back out of the debate, citing personal matters, but confirmed his participation shortly after. Only to cancel once more the next morning, leaving Möller to represent the party. It's speculated that Höcke's previous performances in TV debates were not particularly favorable, and he might be trying to mitigate risks near the end of the campaign.
Medical reasoning aside, some analysts believe Höcke had challenges adapting to the debate environment, appearing less humorous and more anxious. Yet, the AfD's polling average remains steady at around 30%.
Moving on, there's no recent information in the sources that sheds light on the specific nature of Höcke's health issues. His controversial actions have been scrutinized, as he was convicted twice in 2024 for using a Hitler-era banned slogan. Nevertheless, the spotlight remains fixed on his health concern and its impact on the election campaign.
You can catch the live TV debate featuring Stefan Möller on stern.de, while the AfD rally in Nordhausen expected to see Höcke's presence.
