The hearing was delayed due to a request from his defense. The AfD politician Björn Höcke has been on trial in Halle since Thursday.
The hearing was delayed due to a request from his defense. The Thuringian party leader is accused of using the symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations. The penalty is between a fine and a prison sentence of three years, court spokeswoman Adina Kessler-Jensch said. The chamber has decided to separate the charges relating to the use of the banned slogan "Everything for Germany" in Gera from the case in Merseburg, she said.. The trial is expected to last until the end of the month, when it will be adjourned for a further two weeks. The trial will continue on Friday and Saturday, the spokeswoman said, and the verdicts are expected on Tuesday or Wednesday. An indictment was also admitted at the Mühlhausen regional court in Thuringia. There have been numerous investigations against Höcke. In Halle, he now has to appear in court for the first time. He defended his choice of words in a TV duel against the Thuringian CDU top candidate Mario Voigt. He used the slogan in a free campaign speech and ultimately translated Donald Trump's slogan "America First" into German in a freely interpreted way. He is considered to have no chance because none of the parties previously represented in the state parliament want to form a coalition with the AfD. Theoretically, under certain conditions, the court could actually decide that Höcke temporarily loses his right to vote. However, the prerequisite is that he is sentenced to a prison sentence of at least six months. He wants to apply for a direct mandate in the Greiz district in eastern Thuringia. It is currently completely unclear whether a conviction will even occur.