The televised debate between Thuringian CDU leader Mario Voigt and AfD right-winger Björn Höcke was a heated exchange of accusations and personal attacks. The two top candidates for the state elections in Thuringia in September accused each other on TV channel Welt of damaging Germany and the German economy. They also launched personal attacks against each other, with Voigt accusing Höcke of being poison for the country, while Höcke accused Voigt of being populist and not understanding his arguments.
The debate stemmed from a dispute on European policy on social media, which led to the decision to engage in a televised duel. Both candidates had differing views on Europe, with Voigt warning against the consequences of Höcke’s European policy ideas and Höcke advocating for Germany to leave the EU and form a loose alliance of European states. Voigt rejected the idea of collaboration with Höcke and emphasized the importance of the EU as a protector for Germany.
Other topics of discussion in the TV duel included the war in Ukraine, the culture of remembrance, and migration policy. Höcke defended his use of the Nazi slogan “Everything for Germany” ahead of a trial, claiming it was a freely interpreted translation of Donald Trump’s “America First.” The debate lasted longer than planned and covered a wide range of controversial topics.
The TV duel, which was held on the anniversary of the liberation
