Six AfD Candidates and Reserves Die Within 13 Days Ahead of German Election
- Victor Nwoko
- Sep 4
- 2 min read
In a shocking sequence of events, four candidates and two reserve candidates from Germany’s right-wing Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party have died within just 13 days, ahead of regional elections scheduled for September 14 in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The deceased candidates have been identified as Ralph Lange, 66, Wolfgang Klinger, 71, Stefan Berendes, 59, and Wolfgang Seitz, 59. Two reserve candidates also died in the same two-week period. Authorities confirmed that at least two of the deaths were from natural causes but have not disclosed details of the others.
Despite the timing of the deaths, police said no foul play is currently suspected. Investigations remain ongoing, with officials citing privacy concerns for withholding additional details.
The deaths have caused significant disruption to the election process. Officials have been forced to reprint ballots multiple times, and some mail-in ballots have been invalidated.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel fueled speculation after amplifying economist Stefan Homburg’s claim that the number of deaths was “statistically impossible.”
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state with 18 million residents, is set to see around 20,000 candidates contest seats. While the AfD was not considered competitive in this cycle, the party has seen a surge in support since the 2022 state elections, rising from 5.4% to 16.8% in opinion polls.
Authorities have stressed that investigations are ongoing, but so far there is no evidence to suggest coordinated foul play.
Comments