Overview

• On September 5, Tübingen mayor Boris Palmer debated AfD MP Markus Frohnmaier in a two-hour moderated forum, with police removing about 30 attendees after disruptions.
• The event drew large counter-protests outside and followed a July agreement that replaced a planned AfD rally with a public debate under strict conditions.
• Coverage, including from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, called the result inconclusive as Palmer scored some points but neither side claimed a definitive victory.
• Critics argued the format risks legitimizing the AfD or reducing debate to a tactical weapon, while supporters said it offered practical lessons for future confrontations.
• After the forum, Palmer posted claims about crime statistics and asylum-seekers that circulated widely and drew scrutiny in continuing discussions of migration and security.