Supporters hold up the German national flag reading "We are the people" in Erfurt, eastern Germany on August 31, 2024, during the last campaign event of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) for the upcoming Thuringia state elections. The former East German states of Saxony and Thuringia prepare to hold key regional elections on September 1, 2024. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP)