It is full in the "restaurant Hopfenberg" in Erfurt, the AfD celebrates here their election party. Party leader Alexander Gauland and other party leaders are already ten minutes before 18 clock on the small stage. In front of it, more officials and members, for those cheers, the press spokesman had previously wished.
Then, two minutes before the first forecast flickers across the screen, Björn Höcke comes along too. As if on command, the crowd divides, the usual "humps, humps" shouts ring, the top candidate is hugged, hands are pounding on his shoulders. The desired pictures, which are available here before 18 o'clock.
Höcke, the most prominent representative of the völkisch-national "wing" in the AfD, election winner on this evening of the state election, even if he missed the direct mandate in the constituency Eichsfeld I clear. The 47-year-old has done what he wanted, the set election target of more than 20 percent met.
Höcke is not only one of the most well-known, but also the most controversial politician of the entire AfD. His racist and anti-democratic positions are known far beyond Thuringia. And yet, as a top candidate, he has won almost 24 percent, twice as much as in the last election. It is also a victory for him, a victory that shows that even the hotshot Höcke is not too radical for just under a quarter of voters.
In the video: The reactions to the Thuringia election
Martin rubble / DPA
Höckes success helps the folk in the party
Höcke appears resolved on the stage - and announces: "At the next election we will get the absolute majority." It was "made the East blue," he says. And: "In a few years we will become an all-German people's party."
Then he sends a message in the direction of his party-internal critics: If one remains as a unit, "and this unit has been strengthened with the Eastern elections again," then you will write history throughout Germany. The applause is loud, the agenda clear: The federal AfD should be based on Höcke and the Eastern Associations.
Last time Höcke's influence in the party had dropped, he had brought too many negative headlines. And that, even though the AfD has become more and more radicalized, the "wing" has gained a lot of power. But Höcke was only the figurehead, behind him made especially the Brandenburg chief of state and Federal Executive Andreas Kalbitz for the influence of the people in the party. Because Höcke is not a stripper, can not network well, is often thin-skinned not only to journalists, but also with party colleagues and sympathizers.
State election Thuringia 2019
Preliminary final result
Second vote result
Shares in percent
CDU
21.8
-11.7
The left
31
+2.8
SPD
8.2
-4.2
AFD
23.4
+12.8
green
5.2
-0.5
FDP
5
+2.5
other
5.4
-1.7
allocation of seats
Total: 90
Majority: 46 seats
29
8th
5
5
21
22
The Left (29)
SPD (8)
Green (5)
FDP (5)
CDU (21)
AfD (22)
Source: Provincial Returning Officer
Results in detail
At the same time he likes the big, staged appearance. Höcke almost always came to election campaign dates shortly before, escorted his security guards to the stage, disappeared after his speeches as fast as possible. Only at the election campaign in Erfurt on Saturday he stayed longer, made selfies with numerous sympathizers - framed by security people and with an icy smile. Being close to the people is not the best thing.
The show that Höcke likes to produce has already caused him a lot of trouble. Thus, at least a small internal party rebellion against him formed in July, after he had invaded the Kyffhäusertreffen the "wing" with numerous flags and had shown a four-minute image video with him in the lead role. The approximately one hundred signers criticized the "excessively flared personality cult" and wrote: "The AfD is not and will not be a Björn-Höcke party!"
More about the state election in Thuringia
But that's a long way ago - and Höcke can now boast a successful election. Above all, the prominent representatives of the East regional associations, who have traveled to Thuringia, praise him: "The election result shows that Björn Höcke does not harm the AfD at all, but that he is a driving force," says Jörg Urban, the Saxon regional chief. It was the second best result that the AfD ever retracted. And that was "for the most part" Höcke to owe.
Party leader Alexander Gauland, whose opinion in the AfD still counts most, says on stage in Erfurt, Höcke had "done everything right and said everything right". The electoral victory showed everyone clearly, Gauland said: "This is the future People's Party."
Höcke is now strengthened five weeks before the Federal Executive elections, although it will probably not be enough to run for a post. Höcke does not want that either. He fights for even more influence of the "wing" on the federal party - apparently successful.
