The German right-wing party Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) has experienced the sudden deaths of four candidates and two reserve candidates within 13 days leading up to the North Rhine-Westphalia elections Sept. 14.
Authorities have clarified that there is no suspicion of foul play in any of the deaths, the BBC reported Tuesday. The deceased include Ralph Lange, 66; Wolfgang Klinger, 71; Stefan Berendes, 59; and Wolfgang Seitz, 59, along with two reserves, all passing within the same two-week period, according to the European Conservative.
Preliminary statements from German officials suggest natural causes in two cases, while other causes have yet to be disclosed, the BBC reported. Germany’s interior ministry said that other candidates from the country’s Social Democrats and Greens parties also died within this timeframe.
Despite the sudden disruption, initial expectations were that the AfD would not pose a significant challenge in the September elections, according to the European Conservative.
The AfD has achieved a notable rise in political support since the 2022 elections, climbing from 5.4% to 16.8% in polls within North Rhine-Westphalia, the BBC reported. The area, with a population of 18 million, will see around 20,000 candidates in September’s electoral cycle.
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