• Source:JND
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German politicians death mystery: In a shocking development ahead of Germany’s local elections, 16 politicians contesting in the polls scheduled for September 14 in North Rhine-Westphalia have died in recent weeks, triggering a flood of conspiracy theories and political speculation across the country. Election officials confirmed the deaths on Thursday, dismissing claims of foul play and stressing that the figures were not statistically abnormal given the large pool of candidates.

Of the 16 deceased candidates, seven belonged to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, while the rest represented a spectrum of political groups, including the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, Free Democratic Party (FDP), Animal Welfare Party, Free Voters, Independent Voters’ Association (UWG), Referendum Party and other local voter groups. The first reports of sudden deaths involved four AfD politicians, Ralph Lange, Wolfgang Klinger, Wolfgang Seitz, and Stefan Berendes. Their passing forced local election authorities to reprint ballots. Shortly after, AfD reserve candidates René Herford and Patrick Tietze also died, followed by representatives from other parties.

Police Rule Out Foul Play, Investigations Continue

Authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state with nearly 18 million residents and around 20,000 candidates running for office, said there is no evidence linking the deaths to criminal activity. “Investigations into the first four deaths revealed natural causes. There were no indications of foul play,” detectives told German news agency DPA. Police added that in two cases, routine investigations were opened because the cause of death was initially unclear.

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Conspiracy Theories Gain Ground

Despite repeated clarifications, the string of deaths has fueled intense conspiracy theories online, particularly among AfD supporters. The debate escalated after AfD co-chair Alice Weidel amplified claims from retired economist Stefan Homburg, who argued the deaths were “statistically almost impossible.” On August 31, Weidel wrote on social media, “Four AfD candidates have died,” sharing Homburg’s assessment. The number has since climbed to seven AfD politicians, making the party’s base increasingly suspicious. But election authorities strongly rejected these claims. “There is no evidence of unusually high mortality. Thousands of candidates are standing for about 20,000 seats. The deaths, while tragic, do not suggest any irregularities,” a spokesperson told DPA.

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Despite the controversy, officials confirmed that the local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia will take place on September 14 as planned. The state’s Interior Ministry also underlined that the nomination process allows for reserve lists to fill vacancies caused by deaths or withdrawals. Political observers believe the issue could further polarize the campaign. While police continue to probe some of the cases, authorities reiterated there is no evidence of foul play.