A screen behind German national flags shows Bjoern Hoecke, co-leader and top candidate of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party addressing supporters during the party's last campaign event for the upcoming Thuringia state elections, in Erfurt, eastern Germany on August 31, 2024. The former East German states of Saxony and Thuringia prepare to hold key regional elections on September 1, 2024. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP)