Six Candidates From Germany’s Right-Wing AfD Die Before Election, Sparking Speculation

Six candidates from Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party have died in the weeks leading up to local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia on September 14, sparking speculation.

The Details: Police have found no evidence of foul play, stating the deaths were from natural causes or are being kept private for family reasons. Reports first emerged that four candidates had died, and later, a report emerged from a podcast by Politico’s (Lean Left bias) German-language counterpart that two reserve candidates had died as well. The deaths sparked speculation online and from AfD leader Alice Weidel, who said the number was “statistically almost impossible.”

Death Causes: The European Conservative (Lean Right) wrote, “Ralph Lange and Wolfgang Klinger had serious pre-existing conditions, a spokesperson for the North Rhine-Westphalia AfD told Politico. Wolfgang Seitz also had pre-existing conditions and suffered a heart attack. Stefan Berendes also died of natural causes. Of the reserve list candidates, René Herford had a pre-existing liver condition and died of kidney failure, while Patrick Tietze committed suicide.”

For Context: In February, AfD finished second in Germany’s national elections, notching the best result for a “far-right” party in Germany since World War II. In May, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency labeled AfD a “right-wing extremist” organization. Members of the Trump administration, like Secretary of State Rubio, Vice President Vance, and former government efficiency lead Elon Musk, have appeared sympathetic to AfD’s platform throughout this year. Conversely, American media from the left have characterized the party as “far-right” and extreme.

How The Media Covered It: The story was covered by several mainstream German-language outlets like Bild, Der Spiegel, and Politico. Notable English-language outlets AllSides found coverage from were BBC (Center), Straight Arrow News (Center), The New York Post (Lean Right), Hungarian Conservative (Lean Right), and The European Conservative. BBC prominently noted that 20,000 candidates will partake in the September 14 vote. Hungarian Conservative wrote that a few of the candidates' deaths came “unexpectedly.”

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