“Another Legislature”
Höcke does not challenge the AfD leadership at the party conference
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Before every AfD party conference, the question arises again as to whether Thuringia's right-winger Höcke is reaching for power. The 52-year-old wants to grant the incumbent duo Weidel/Chrupalla another term in office. Then the time could have come for the debate about a new structure – with only one party leader.
Thuringia's AfD leader Björn Höcke does not want to run for party leadership at the federal party conference in Essen. His office confirmed a corresponding report from MDR Thuringia. Höcke justified his decision with the three state elections in the fall in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg, according to the MDR.
“I feel well represented by a West and an East representative. Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are doing it very well and, in my opinion, should do it for another term,” Höcke told the broadcaster about the current leadership duo. “It will then have to be decided whether the time has come for a single leadership.”
Before every AfD board election, there has been speculation for years as to whether the party's right-wing extremist from Thuringia will run for a top office. Höcke had always denied this; However, he is said to have a not insignificant influence within the AfD. Among other things, the AfD wants to elect a new board at its two-day meeting on June 29th and 30th. Numerous organizations have announced resistance to the party conference. There is also a conflict over the rental agreement for the federal party conference in Essen.
In Thuringia, the Höcke AfD has been classified as proven right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution since 2021 and is being monitored. Höcke told MDR that he wanted to contribute content at the party conference. He renewed his calls for party structural reform by discussing a general secretary.
