AFD Faces Sudden Loss of Candidates Before Election

The Alternative for Germany (AFD) party has been shaken by the deaths of four candidates and two other potential candidates in just 13 days as they head into the September 14 election in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Authorities have reported that there is no indication of foul play involved in these deaths, as mentioned in a recent BBC article. The individuals who passed away include Ralph Lange, 66, Wolfgang Klinger, 71, Stephen Belendez, 59, and another Wolfgang Seitz, also 59, along with two reserves. The sudden nature of these events has raised eyebrows, according to European conservatives.

A preliminary statement from German officials indicates that at least two of the deaths may be attributed to natural causes, though further details remain unclear. Interestingly, the German Interior Ministry pointed out that some Social Democrats and Green candidates also died in that same timeframe.

Despite this burst of tragedy, early expectations suggest that the AFD is not likely to become a major contender in the upcoming election, as noted by European Conservatives.

The AFD seems to have gained momentum since the last election, climbing from 5.4% to 16.8% in the polls leading up to the election, as reported by the BBC. North Rhine-Westphalia, home to about 18 million residents, features close to 20,000 candidates in the election.

This unexpected loss has led to multiple reprints of election ballots, resulting in several email-in votes being canceled. AFD co-leader Alice Weidel commented on the unusual number of fatalities, calling it “statistically impossible.” Meanwhile, German police have initiated an investigation while ensuring they respect the privacy of the families involved.

In May, the AFD was labeled a “radical” group by German intelligence agencies, a classification that was supported later. Furthermore, Deutsche Kreditbank Aktiengesellschaft (DKB) recently closed the account of AFD politician Sascha Schlösser after his election victory, a move that has sparked discussions in the political arena.

Sascha Schlösser took to Twitter to share a humorous remark about the public nature of landtags, seemingly in good spirits despite the surrounding turmoil.