File photo

 

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is grappling with the sudden deaths of six of its candidates in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) ahead of the upcoming local elections. Police have confirmed there is no evidence of foul play. However, reprinting ballots and allowing postal voters to redo their votes have added complexity to the election process.

 

NRW, home to 18 million people, is gearing up for elections on 14 September with over 20,000 candidates. While speculation abounds on social media, the state's interior ministry has brought attention to the recent deaths of candidates from other parties, such as the Greens and Social Democrats.

 

The AfD's prominence surged after becoming Germany's second-largest party in February’s federal elections, expanding its influence from the east to western regions. The domestic spy agency had classified it as a right-wing extremist group in May, although this is currently under legal review. In the east, some of its regional associations remain classified as extremist.

 

Initial reports focused on four candidate deaths, later revealing two more reserve candidates had also died. This news spurred conspiracy theories online. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel has contributed to the speculation by sharing claims that the deaths are "statistically almost impossible."

 

Conversely, Kay Gottschalk, AfD’s deputy in NRW, has urged restraint, stressing the importance of investigating the cases carefully and respecting the bereaved families. He noted that current information does not support any wrongdoing, reported the BBC.

 

German police have indicated the causes of the initial deaths were natural or undisclosed, respecting family privacy. The two additional deaths have similar descriptions, reinforcing the absence of foul play.

 

Following the change in federal leadership, the AfD is eyeing potential gains in NRW, which is considered a crucial barometer for voter sentiment. The party received only 5.4% in the state’s previous elections in May 2022 but increased to 16.8% in recent federal polling.

 

The AfD's policies have gained support from prominent US conservatives, who accuse the German government of undermining the party. Elon Musk, a tech mogul, has voiced his backing of the AfD, reiterating his approval of their immigration stance and declaring that "Germany must vote AfD or face the end."

 

The situation remains tense as the AfD prepares for the elections amidst the unexpected loss of candidates, with questions lingering in the public sphere.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-09-03

 

The lefts playbook is to silence dissent. And if that doesnt work, kill them

Sounds like something out of the communist Soviet era.

 

Looks like the AfD need to up their security, they are getting too much popular support.  

I’ve always thought those ruddy faces and bulging veins don’t look healthy.

 

Self stoked grievance and anger is not good for blood pressure, and hypertension is a killer.

 

 

1 or even 2 might be  believable  but 6  come on no way !

24 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’ve always thought those ruddy faces and bulging veins don’t look healthy.

 

Self stoked grievance and anger is not good for blood pressure, and hypertension is a killer.

 

 

 

2 lefty Green candidates also died.

 

Maybe all the doctors are overworked due to the mass immigration?

A Night of the Long Knives?

 

Looks like the AfD will need its own Sicherheitsdienst  to protect themselves against these assassinations.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Self stoked grievance and anger is not good for blood pressure, and hypertension is a killer.

 

So is radioactive isotope.

 

AfD better watch out for the Commies. 

 

What did they do to piss off the Clintons?

 

The paranoid, delusional conspiracy theorists are taking the air today.

 

Don't forget to look under your beds for the reds, fellows.

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’ve always thought those ruddy faces and bulging veins don’t look healthy.

 

Self stoked grievance and anger is not good for blood pressure, and hypertension is a killer.

 

 

 

Compassion and empathy from our resident far left spokesperson 🤤

AfD is not "far right".

At one time German civil servants could liberate a Mussolini from a fortress, survive a march to Stalingrad, and conquer France in a few weeks. Now just getting put up on a ballot box is too much stress.

 

Makes you wonder.

8 hours ago, proton said:

 

Compassion and empathy from our resident far left spokesperson 🤤

Hardly, I frequently advise our grievance addicted members to chill and resist the urge to imagine reason to upset themselves. 
 

I don’t want any of you to suffer unnecessarily.

Inappropriate meme removed 

@Celsius

9 hours ago, RayC said:

The paranoid, delusional conspiracy theorists are taking the air today.

 

Don't forget to look under your beds for the reds, fellows.

 

You sound crazy.

6 hours ago, blaze master said:

 

You sound crazy.

Not distant history, 75 years ago.

 

There must be a special disease to cleanse us of racists.

8 hours ago, blaze master said:

 

You sound crazy.

 

Perhaps I am but read the other posts in this thread and you will see that my level of insanity appears to be mild compared to some.

2 hours ago, RayC said:

 

Perhaps I am but read the other posts in this thread and you will see that my level of insanity appears to be mild compared to some.

 

You think its just random coincidence that 6 people from the same party all died at the same time leading up to an election.  

 

Yikes.

Good.

When some more facts of the situation are reported, the sensationalist headlines are seen for what they are.

 

A substack account by a German I follow provides a better picture, i.e. around 90,000 people are in the multitude of elections and the guys that died, all of pre-existing conditions, apart from the one suicide, makes this a nothingburger.....

Typical of the far right wing fascists and Nazis to get rid of competition from within the party. If they died of natural causes I would say that is a remarkable coincidence.

On 9/3/2025 at 2:09 PM, tubby johnson said:

A Night of the Long Knives?

 

Looks like the AfD will need its own Sicherheitsdienst  to protect themselves against these assassinations.

Cynics may suggest that they may well have one "waiting in the wings"!

20 hours ago, Lee65 said:

AfD is not "far right".

They are more than far right, they are a bunch of criminal Fascists.

20 hours ago, Cameroni said:

At one time German civil servants could liberate a Mussolini from a fortress, survive a march to Stalingrad, and conquer France in a few weeks. Now just getting put up on a ballot box is too much stress.

 

Makes you wonder.

Mind you all 3 events subsequently came spectacularly unstuck - Mussolini ended up being lynched, the " marchers on Stalingrad" - most never made it home, and France was liberated.

 

Incidentally Otto Skorenzy probably wouldn't have taken kindly to being referred to as a " civil servant"!

 

Mind you, I take your rather wistful point! Things aren't what they used to be in those circles!

13 minutes ago, JAG said:

Incidentally Otto Skorenzy probably wouldn't have taken kindly to being referred to as a " civil servant"!

 

Skorzeny was actually a civil engineer before he became the original James Bond.

 

In any event among the millions who marched to Stalingrad and Paris there would have been a large number of civil servants surely.

 

And no, things are not what they used to be. Now they're more likely to do it in Call of Duty on the Xbox.

On 9/3/2025 at 4:42 AM, angryguy said:

The lefts playbook is to silence dissent. And if that doesnt work, kill them

Go see a doctor, you are messed up: "Police have confirmed there is no evidence of foul play."

On 9/3/2025 at 4:42 AM, angryguy said:

The lefts playbook is to silence dissent. And if that doesnt work, kill them

So Putin is a leftist? 

1 hour ago, UWEB said:

They are more than far right, they are a bunch of criminal Fascists.

In what way?

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So Putin is a leftist? 

Yes.