Court Imposes Speaking Ban on AfD Politician Höcke in Upper FranconiaThu 12th Feb, 2026A regional court in Bayreuth has issued a legal order barring Björn Höcke, a prominent member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, from speaking at an upcoming party event in Upper Franconia. The AfD event, scheduled to take place in the multipurpose hall in Seybothenreuth, will proceed without Höcke as a speaker. The decision to enforce a speaking ban, rather than a complete prohibition of the event, aligns with prior judicial guidance recommending less restrictive measures when feasible. Meanwhile, Höcke's planned appearance at another AfD event in Lindenberg, located in the Allgäu region, is also under scrutiny. The court instead advised that prohibiting individual speakers, such as Höcke, would constitute a more proportionate response under the law.

Source: The Munich Eye February 12, 2026 21:49 UTC