Top men of the CDU and AfD in Thuringia are arguing on television today - what's the point? Can the AfD allow itself to be portrayed this way – or will Voigt fall into its trap? Opinions vary widely, and the question itself touches on the general way of dealing with a party that is simply too strong in the polls to ignore. AfD politicians are often invited to talk shows and take part in debates before elections.
But there has never been a duel in premium broadcast time (8:15 p.m., Welt TV), especially with one of the most radical representatives. In surveys, theAfD has been consistently ahead of theCDU and the Left Party for months at around 30 percent. Can the duel bring about movement? Weaken the populists? Unmask Höcke? The question itself goes beyond the Thuringian state election and goes beyond Germany as a whole to the whole of Europe and the world.