16 Candidates Die Ahead of German Local Elections

Officials in North Rhine-Westphalia are seeking to calm speculation after 16 candidates died ahead of municipal elections, saying the numbers are not unusual.

Supporters of the Alternative for Germany political party gather at a campaign rally in Erfurt, Germany, on Aug. 31, 2024. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

One-and-a-half weeks before voters head to the polls in North Rhine-Westphalia’s municipal elections in Germany on Sept. 14, state officials have confirmed that 16 candidates have died during the campaign.

The deaths span across multiple parties, including seven from Alternative for Germany (AfD).

A spokesperson for the state election commissioner told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) news agency in Düsseldorf that the number of deaths is “not significantly higher” than in previous election campaigns.

The official said that candidates unfortunately pass away in every election cycle, and the current tally should not be considered extraordinary.

Despite the reassurances from officials, the deaths have triggered speculation on the internet, particularly concerning the AfD, which accounted for nearly half of the fatalities.

The AfD, an anti-illegal immigration party, came second in Germany’s parliamentary elections with nearly 21 percent of the vote.

Its platform stresses traditional marriage, national sovereignty in opposition to European Union influence, the preservation of German culture, and strict border enforcement, including deportations.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has publicly defended the party, dismissing accusations of extremism and calling its policies Germany’s best path forward.

In May, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency classified the AfD as “right-wing extremist” after a lengthy review, although the label is on hold pending a court appeal.

According to an Aug. 12 poll by the Forsa Institute for RTL Deutschland, the AfD ranked as Germany’s most popular party, ahead of the Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian ally the Christian Social Union; 26 percent of Germans said they would vote for it.

Martin Vincentz, who leads the AfD chapter in North Rhine-Westphalia, told reporters there was no evidence of unnatural deaths among the party’s candidates, the DPA reported.

He said no foul play had been uncovered, but argued that the public speculation reflects how the party is treated by German authorities.

“If even political murder now seems conceivable for many people, this is a direct consequence of the often ruthless battle that has been waged against the AfD for years,” Vincentz said.

Breakdown of Fatalities

According to the commissioner’s office, the 16 recorded deaths so far involve candidates from 14 different municipalities.

In addition to the seven AfD candidates, the fatalities include one candidate each from the Social Democratic Party, Social Democratic Action, the Free Democratic Party, the Greens, the Animal Protection Party, the Independent Voter Association, Free Voters, the Party Referendum, and one local voters’ group.

Local authorities are not legally obligated to report such cases to the state election commissioner, meaning the list is not necessarily complete.

Nonetheless, the commissioner’s office receives reports from municipalities and reviews public records to track such incidents.

Police have ruled out unnatural causes of death in at least four cases.

In the 2020 municipal elections, more than 20,000 seats were contested in North Rhine-Westphalia.

When a nominee dies, ballots may need to be reprinted, or special elections may be organized.

In some cases, replacements can even be put forward on Election Day itself.