Unhappy in defeat - Höcke abruptly seeks to challenge the election outcome.
In this particular region, there was so much conflict within the party that it ended up competing against itself with two separate lists. The weird battle between AfD and AfL (Alternative for the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district) ended up with a 18.6% victory for the anti-Hoecke rebels and a 13.7% win for Hoecke's AfL.
Now, it seems like Hoecke wants to eliminate his opposition group by demanding a rerun of the election. However, in the official explanation, AfD Vice-Chairman Torben Braga (33) mentions different reasons: "The election took place under false pretenses. The voter was intentionally misled." A party shouldn't be used for someone's personal purposes and feelings of a few individuals.
Hoecke's state branch had a major role in creating this chaos by registering a second list. This left his loyalists in hopeless positions and his opponents leading the way. Hoecke wasn't able to get the list reelected in court three times. As a result, his members had no choice but to form their own voting group: the AfL.
Why is this seemingly minor district council election so dangerous for Hoecke?
Hoecke personally campaigned for the AfL, even going so far as to ban the original AfD members from using the party's logos, names, and initials, and threatening them with expulsion if they didn't comply. He also had no luck in getting rid of those who caused trouble within the party. On the contrary, he was defeated by local politicians from his own ranks in the ballot. This could potentially weaken his power even further.
The period for protesting the annulment is just two weeks, and it can only be done by eligible voters in person. According to Braga, several AfD members have already expressed their intent to do so.
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