Press
In a heated TV duel between AfD politician Björn Höcke and CDU man Mario Voigt, both of them give nothing to each other. The moderators provided the most important moment of the duel.
Berlin – It attracted attention and caused excitement far beyond Thuringia’s borders: the first TV duel with the ultra-right AfD politician Björn Höcke, his party’s top candidate for the state elections in the fall. His opponent was that CDU-Candidate Mario Voigt. He tried to confront Höcke with facts instead of accusations. And Höcke? The AfD man avoided questions about his extreme demands. Both can score points for themselves. The moderation shined the most.
Höcke versus Voigt in the TV duel: facts instead of fascism
Although it was the first TV duel in the Thuringian state election campaign, the duel organized by the private broadcaster Welt-TV was hardly about Thuringia. The politicians were invited by World TV editor-in-chief Jan Philipp Burgard and chief presenter Tatjana Ohm. In just over 70 minutes (45 were scheduled), those present rushed through questions about Europe, the economy, migration and culture of remembrance.
The strategies of the two politicians, who want to become the strongest force with their parties in September, quickly became clear. Voigt wanted to ask Höcke factual questions instead of brandishing the club of fascism. This is what he did to a large extent. He exposed Höcke’s false claims in several places. He said, for example, that Great Britain has been doing better economically since leaving the EU. Höcke wants to say goodbye to the EU.
AfD man Höcke criticizes EU policy
When it comes to the shortage of skilled workers and immigration, Voigt also made it clear that Höcke’s extreme anti-migration stance is unsuitable for guaranteeing German companies enough workers. “They are breaking the backbone of prosperity,” said Voigt, who accused Höcke and the AfD of populism: “Inflating your cheeks, describing problems, but not solving a single problem.”
Höcke, who consciously wanted to appear statesmanlike, was able to successfully put the CDU politician under pressure at the beginning of the duel. He confronted Voigt with the European climate policy of the “Green Deal”, which is supported by CDU politician and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The duel noticeably gained momentum over time, and the world moderators gave the two politicians enough opportunities for heated debates.
Höcke was cornered by TV presenters
Although the moderation was often reserved, Burgard and Ohm ensured the moment of the duel in which they drove Höcke into a corner with his own statements. The journalists confronted Höcke with his positions on migration and a passage from his book in which he spoke disparagingly about the migration background SPD-Bundestag Vice President Aydan Özoguz wrote. Höcke stumbled, did not want to make a statement despite repeated requests from the moderator and finally said that he could no longer remember the exact point in the text.
Höcke also reacted evasively several times to the term “remigration” often used in the extreme right-wing camp or to Nazi slogans he had used in the past. Voigt commented clearly on these moments: “I would have given you more courage to stand by your theses.”
TV duel: CDU strategy worked
While Höcke blamed CDU man Voigt as the “destroyer of Germany’s wealth” and his party for the disillusionment with politics in the country, at the end of the duel he still offered him a coalition in Thuringia. Most parts of the duel were hardly about state politics. Although Höcke was able to put Voigt under pressure for Merkel’s policies, the bottom line was that the AfD politician often found himself in trouble; Voigt’s strategy of objective confrontation largely worked. The moderation of world TV also contributed to tough confrontations.
Even in the run-up to the duel, there were debates as to whether the TV duel would break a taboo. World TV boss Burgard defended the show IPPEN.MEDIA in advance as the “boxing ring of democracy”. Burgard continued: “We carefully considered whether we should host this TV duel. Ignoring the AfD has so far achieved nothing. The duel allows viewers to find out what it would mean if right-wing extremists were given government responsibility.