Four AfD politicians die within a few weeks

Four AfD candidates have died. (symbolic image)

Heiko Rebsch/dpa

Four AfD candidates have died in North Rhine-Westphalia just a few weeks before the local elections. Authorities see no evidence of any outside culpability - but the election has to be reorganized in several places.

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Four AfD candidates died within a short space of time before the local elections in NRW.
The police are assuming natural causes of death in all cases.
Postal voting documents have to be reissued in the affected constituencies.

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Unusual developments are overshadowing the upcoming local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia: Four AfD candidates have died unexpectedly within the space of a few weeks. The towns affected are Wesel, Bad Lippspringe, Blomberg and Schwerte.

As reported by t-online and WDR, according to the police, there are no indications of any outside culpability. Initially, a death investigation was launched in several cases, but this was quickly discontinued. Investigators determined a natural cause of death for two candidates.

Other candidates have also died

The deaths have consequences for the election organization: postal voting documents that have already been sent out are invalid in the affected constituencies. In Bad Lippspringe, for example, 133 ballot papers have to be reissued. Election committees meet to appoint replacement candidates and have fresh ballot papers printed.

The NRW Ministry of the Interior emphasizes that not only the AfD is affected by deaths. Candidates for the Green Party in Hellenthal and the SPD in Bad Münstereifel also died after being nominated for election.

The local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia are scheduled for September 14.