Four candidates and two reserves from the right-wing AfD political party in Germany have dropped dead within 13 days of each other — just before elections, according to reports.
The Alternative for Deutschland candidates were set to appear on ballots in North Rhine-Westphalia on September 14.
Officials said no foul play is currently suspected in any of their deaths, the BBC reported.
Um, "dropped dead"? I sense that the NYP doesn't particularly care for the AfD.
Ralph Lange, 66; Wolfgang Klinger, 71; Stefan Berendes, 59; and Wolfgang Seitz, 59, all kicked the bucket within two weeks of each other, the European Conservative reported. Two reserve candidates also died over the same period.
Kicked the bucket? Do they have editors at the NYP?
While 6 candidate deaths looks suspicious, there are 20,000 candidates up for election in September, and according to the more measured BBC reporting there have been deaths among the candidates of other parties as well. Still, six from the most hated party in Germany seems suspicious.
7 comments:
“German officials stated that two of the deaths were a result of natural causes, but have not commented on the cause of the others.”
Huh.
Does the Clinton Foundation have a chapter in Germany? [\snark]
Eric Hines
I'm seeing reports of a 7th AfD death, like this one:
https://www.nationalworld.com/europe/north-rhine-westphalia-seven-afd-candidates-die-within-weeks-of-each-other-ahead-of-local-election-5302037
Good question ...
Sounds bad at first take, but they were all older. IIRC 59 was the youngest.
if they had been in their 30's or 40's or even early 50's it would be a real flag.
Still, curious timing. Coincidences do happen.
I am withholding judgement, but the tone of the official German media is a bit … off. Not gleeful, just very carefully correct in ways not usually found in reportage concerning AfD.
LittleRed1
Yeah, w/ 20,000 candidates, some deaths might even be likely. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but it just seemed odd that 7 candidates from one very unpopular party all died within 14 days of each other and within 4 weeks of an election.
It looks like this led to a lot of ballots being reprinted, and some that had already been mailed in need to be redone. Apparently they have candidates and reserve candidates, so maybe this won't have as much of an effect on the elections as it might in the US.
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