16 deaths among local election candidates: speculation and facts!

16 deaths among local election candidates: speculation and facts!

With the local elections on September 14, 2025 just around the corner, North Rhine-Westphalia is currently in focus after the state returning officer reported 16 deaths among election candidates. This number has already caused a lot of conversation, especially on the Internet, where the AfD candidates in particular are the focus of speculation. But the facts are complex and raise questions.

The deaths not only affect AfD candidates, but also representatives of other parties such as the SPD, Greens, FDP and more. In total, candidates who died before the election were discovered in 14 different communities, including towns like Solingen and Essen. A spokesman for the state returning officer emphasizes that despite the reporting and the resulting speculation, no significant increase in deaths can be determined. More than 20,000 seats were awarded in the 2020 local elections, and such incidents are not uncommon during elections

Causes of death and speculation

There is page after page of discussion about the deaths, especially on the Internet. Alina Lipp, a blogger, and the “NIUS” platform contribute to speculation that there could be abnormalities among the AfD candidates. Alice Weidel, the AfD leader, and Stephan Brandner, a member of the Bundestag, also commented and considered the situation to be statistically worrisome. But the police authorities also ruled out foul play in all five cases investigated, while in the other cases natural causes of death were determined, such as heart attacks or suicide. An 80-year-old direct candidate died after a long illness.

Political scientist Norbert Kersting also notes that the average age of the AfD candidates could be a possible explanation for the increased deaths. An analytical look at past elections shows that unforeseen deaths of candidates occur again and again, regardless of political orientation, and can influence both the election process and the nomination of replacement candidates.

Legal framework

The local election law even stipulates that post-election options are available if a candidate dies before elections. This by-election can take place on election day or within five weeks of the failed election. However, there is no reporting obligation for local authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is why the list of deaths may be incomplete.

The rules are clear: Any citizen eligible to vote can run as long as they are at least 18 years old and have lived in the city of their choice for at least three months. There is no age limit or health check for candidates. This could be another element that means deaths are not uncommon among both Afghan and other applicants.

Finally, it should be noted that the situation raises many questions. Nevertheless, the state election management emphasizes that the reported deaths before elections are common and do not represent a significant deviation from the norm. How the election on September 14th will develop remains to be seen and could certainly further fuel the discussion about the importance and stability of the democratic processes in Germany.

For further information on the current debate, please refer to the reporting by Borken newspaper, the daily news as well as the analyzes of the WDR.