Weeks before local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany’s most populous state, the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been rocked by the sudden deaths of seven candidates.
These fatalities, occurring within a tight timeframe leading up to the September 14 vote, have sparked intense scrutiny. Official accounts from German authorities paint them as mere coincidences—natural causes, pre-existing conditions, or undisclosed for privacy reasons—with no evidence of foul play. But in a political landscape where the AfD is branded an extremist threat by the establishment, this cluster feels anything but random. Skeptics point to the improbability: Seven deaths among roughly 3,000 candidates, but concentrated in one anti-establishment party that’s surging in polls.
The AfD’s platform hits hard at globalist policies: sealing borders against unchecked migration, halting the bottomless aid to Ukraine’s endless conflict, rebooting nuclear reactors shuttered in a green energy frenzy, and scrapping windmill schemes that have gutted industry and hiked energy costs. This isn’t fringe; it’s a direct assault on the EU-Brussels consensus that prioritizes open borders and interventionist wars over national interests.
Drawing from the BBC’s reporting, which outlines the deaths and logistical headaches like reprinting ballots in affected districts, authorities insist it’s all above board. The Hungarian Conservative delves into one case, emphasizing a swift non-criminal ruling despite the suspicious backdrop. Yet, with the AfD poised to triple its vote share in NRW—testing the waters post-federal elections—these events disrupt preparations and fuel doubts. It mirrors the cartel-fueled assassinations in Mexico’s 2024 vote, where opposition voices were silenced. Independent journalists are raising red flags, questioning if dissent comes at a deadly price.
Details from Main Sources
The deaths have unfolded in NRW, where the AfD fielded over 3,000 candidates for the September 14 local elections. Authorities maintain no connections between the cases, attributing them to natural or personal causes without third-party involvement. Here’s a factual breakdown based on available reports:
- Ralph Lange, age 66 or 67, location unspecified in NRW: Sudden and unexpected death, ruled natural causes.
- Wolfgang Seitz, age 59, location unspecified: Sudden death, official cause natural.
- Wolfgang Klinger, age 71 or 72, location unspecified: Unexpected natural causes.
- Stefan Berendes, age not detailed (likely mid-50s to 60s based on patterns), location unspecified: Sudden death, natural.
- René Herford, age not specified, reserve candidate: Died of kidney failure following a pre-existing liver condition.
- Patrick Tietze, age not specified, reserve: Reported suicide.
- Hans-Joachim Kind, age 80, from Kremenholl in southern Remscheid: Natural causes after a long illness.
These span from late August to early September 2025, with the initial four announced around September 1, followed by two reserves and the seventh shortly after. While some involved older individuals or known health issues, counters highlight that several—like Seitz at 59—were not elderly or previously ill, defying easy dismissal as routine.
The BBC provides broader context: Police investigated the first four, finding no foul play, and noted similar deaths among other parties (six from Greens and Social Democrats post-nomination). Yet, the AfD’s clustering stands out, especially as the party—classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence—gains ground in western Germany. Polls show it could hit 16-17% in NRW, up from 5.4% in 2022 state elections. Skepticism in German media, like Welt, echoes online buzz, with AfD co-leader Alice Weidel reposting claims of statistical impossibility. The outlet reports no evidence linking deaths but acknowledges the oddity.
The Hungarian Conservative focuses on Kind’s case, detailing how authorities quickly ruled it non-criminal, emphasizing his long illness as explanation. Deputy AfD chairman Kay Gottschalk urged probes but warned against conspiracy theories, respecting families. The piece notes the deaths exceed norms—seven among 250 key candidates in weeks—and highlights AfD’s surveillance by intelligence services, adding tension. No direct ties to threats, but the pattern benefits establishment parties like the ruling coalition, which could retain control amid disruptions.
Election fallout is real: Ballots must be reprinted in impacted areas, postal votes recast, creating “immense chaos” per reports. This could suppress turnout or delay results, favoring incumbents in a state of 18 million where AfD’s anti-migration stance resonates. While officials downplay, the concentration raises questions about whether these “natural” ends conveniently sideline challengers.
Parallel to Mexico’s Elections
The AfD’s string of deaths draws stark parallels to Mexico’s 2024 elections, where a record 38 candidates were assassinated in the bloodiest campaign on record. Reuters detailed how violence, largely tied to drug cartels, targeted local politicians—often opposition figures—leading up to the June vote. The final tally included 37 murders, with the last, Jorge Huerta Cabrera in Puebla, shot at a rally. Government efforts to protect 560 candidates fell short amid 828 non-lethal aggressions, and officials often minimized patterns as isolated incidents.
Similarities abound: In both, anti-establishment voices face elimination before polls, with authorities downplaying systemic threats. Mexico’s killings served cartel interests intertwined with global drug networks and porous borders—much like how Germany’s open migration policies benefit elite agendas. Opposition platforms were hit hardest, echoing AfD’s border-sealing push against mass influxes. Official responses in Mexico echoed Germany’s: Blame coincidences or personal issues, not foul play. The facts imply a pattern: Neutralize dissent to preserve the system, whether via bullets in cartel-riddled Mexico or “sudden” ends in surveillance-heavy Germany.
Independent Analysis: Redacted’s Reporting
On Redacted, hosts Clayton and Natalie Morris dissected the AfD deaths with German journalist Naomi Seibt, offering a raw counter to mainstream gloss-overs. Clayton kicked off: “Seven members of the German right-wing AfD party suddenly dropped dead… German authorities say these are just coincidental non-criminal deaths.” He tied it to the party’s anti-globalist bent—sealing borders, ending Ukraine aid, restarting nuclear, ditching green schemes—right before elections.
Seibt called the timing “very off,” rejecting legacy media’s “conspiracy theories” label: “Seven AfD candidates within the span of a few weeks. Something is very off here.” She dismissed pre-existing conditions excuses, noting even if some were 60-plus, the cluster doesn’t add up: “If I maybe eat one Big Mac today and then I drop dead tomorrow, that means I had a pre-existing condition?” Comparing to COVID stats abuse, she argued these deaths are “way more unexpected” than manipulated pandemic figures.
On AfD’s rise, Seibt said they were “definitely headed for a win,” though not superstar candidates. Leaders like Alice Weidel face death threats—canceling events over bomb fears—making the party a prime target: “Why didn’t nobody try to kill somebody like Kamala Harris? That’s because obviously she was not as much of a target.” Strategic hits on lesser-knowns avoid backlash while disrupting.
Seibt dissected rumors, like a syringe incident causing illness: “That’s not normal, that’s not a natural cause.” She urged investigations, respectfully, as crucial: “At the very least investigate what’s actually going on.” As gaslighting example, she detailed 16-year-old Ukrainian Liana’s murder—pushed onto tracks by Iraqi migrants—but initially called an accident. Media smeared AfD probes as racist until truth emerged: “They tried to brainwash every single one of us.”
Seibt revealed intelligence surveillance on AfD, wiretapping phones, raiding homes—including herself on watch lists: “It’s worse than what we’ve lived through in East Germany,” per survivors. Natalie questioned government credibility, citing the Navalny poisoning fabrication: “They made up this crazy circumstance… to vilify Putin.” Now, they’re “ignoring suspicious circumstances.” Seibt agreed: “I don’t care what the government says,” pushing for oversight like family access. She feared escalations: With raids on AfD’s Peter Bystron over baseless Russia claims and candidate bans, “maybe they will resort to different tools and potentially even consider killing them silently.”
Clayton probed locales’ strategic value: Pivotal for AfD majorities? Seibt noted early days but gains in key areas, warning more could follow if bans fail.
What They’re Saying on X
- Naomi Seibt: “
7 AfD MEMBERS JUST DlED – ALICE WEIDEL WARNED US
AfD candidates are the targets of intelligence espionage, lawfare, hoax trials, election bans. Tyranny has kiIIed democracy. And now… AfD candidates too? Do you believe it was a coincidence?” Her post ties deaths to systemic attacks, urging scrutiny amid AfD threats. - Punishable Press: “”Statistically Impossible” 7 AFD candidates die before local elections in Germany.” The account highlights improbability, with a video fueling discussions on patterns and media silence.
- Disclose.tv: “NEW – AfD party has recorded six deaths among its politicians within a short period of time in the run-up to the upcoming local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany — Welt” with update: “UPDATE – Number of deceased AfD candidates rises to seven — Welt.” Their neutral reporting sparks replies comparing to Mexico and accusing foul play.
Conclusion
Unanswered questions linger: Why only AfD in this death wave? Why no deeper probes? Despite surveillance and smears, the party endures, embodying populist grit against elite pressures. Transparent investigations are vital—no lectures, just accountability.
In a time of globalist wars siphoning resources and borders erased for cheap labor, AfD’s push for sovereignty threatens the machine. That’s why they’re targeted: Real change gets crushed to sustain interventions and open societies. Ditch legacy media; track independents for unvarnished truth.
The post Germany’s AfD Suffers Series of Candidate Deaths Ahead of Local Vote appeared first on National File.