German far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke campaigns in Sonneberg, a town in eastern Germany where the AfD party won its first district election last year. Considered an extremist by German intelligence services, Hoecke has long courted controversy. But the scandals have not dented his popularity, and Hoecke is gunning to become Germany's first far-right state premier when Thuringia holds regional elections in September. Several hundred supporters came to applaud his speech and call for "change" in the country, like Diana Weber, 50, for whom "there are simply too many people coming to our country". Around a hundred counter-demonstrators had gathered near the election rally, booing, hissing and waving anti-fascist flags. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES