Far-right AfD party, led by Bjoern Hoecke, gains 30% support in Thuringia, Germany, despite inflammatory rhetoric.

Far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke, head of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Thuringia, has drawn support in the eastern German town of Sonneberg, despite his inflammatory Nazi rhetoric. AfD is currently polling at around 30% in the region ahead of the key regional election in September, leading in Thuringia, which was the first state where the Nazi party came to power in 1930. Hoecke's rhetoric on immigration and his promise to deport illegal immigrants if elected have garnered enthusiasm from supporters. However, critics argue that the AfD's success in Sonneberg has led to an increase in far-right violence in the town.

August 22, 2024
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