As victory for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the state parliament elections in Thuringia loomed on Sunday, media workers were excluded from the party’s election celebrations.
Photographers and camera crews from across the country gathered outside the pub where AfD members and supporters had gathered to capture the reactions of the party base.
However, due to a legal dispute with the party, the media was denied access to the event, while AfD members were clearly in a jubilant mood.
Upon arrival, Björn Höcke, leader of the AfD branch in Thuringia, said: “Today we can celebrate a historic victory.”
According to initial forecasts, the AfD will win the regional elections in Thuringia after polling stations close at 6 p.m. (16:00 GMT).
But it probably has no option to govern, because all other parties have ruled out cooperation in advance.
The decision to deny access to journalists, despite their accreditation, was only taken on Saturday evening.
Legal action taken by a group of media organizations, which are required to gain access through a court order, has forced the AfD to “cancel the event in its previously planned form,” a party spokesman said.
The court ruling meant that more than 150 media representatives had to be allowed into a venue that could hold a maximum of 200 people, in addition to the 150 registered partygoers, the AfD said of its decision.
“The event would have to be cancelled due to overcrowding. The safety of all participants would not be guaranteed,” the spokesperson said.
