Berlin, Germany – Six candidates from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party have died unexpectedly within a two-week period, just days before the local elections scheduled for September 14 in North Rhine-Westphalia. The deaths, reported between August 19 and September 5, involve four direct candidates and two reserve candidates, raising logistical and political questions.
The deceased include direct candidates Ralph Lange (66), Wolfgang Klinger (71), Stefan Berendes (59), and Wolfgang Seitz (59), with deaths occurring between August 19 and August 28. Reserve candidates René Herford and Patrick Tietze also passed away this week. German police have indicated that preliminary findings suggest natural causes or pre-existing health conditions in most cases, with one death attributed to suicide. No evidence of foul play has been identified, though investigations remain ongoing, and specific medical details have been withheld due to privacy laws.
The timing has disrupted election preparations, necessitating the invalidation and reprinting of thousands of postal ballots in municipalities such as Rheinberg, Schwerte, Bad Lippspringe, and Blomberg. Election officials have confirmed that voting will proceed as scheduled, with replacement candidates being considered where feasible under electoral rules.
The AfD, which garnered 20.8% of the vote in February’s federal elections, is classified as a right-wing extremist organization by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, a designation currently under legal review. Party officials have described the cluster of deaths as statistically unusual, while some supporters have speculated about external factors, though no concrete evidence supports such claims. The state’s interior ministry noted that candidate deaths from other parties have also occurred this election cycle, though not in comparable numbers.
The impact on the election remains uncertain, with political analysts awaiting further developments. Additional information is expected as authorities conclude their inquiries.