Far-right Alternative for Germany candidates' deaths spark conspiracies

Published connected 05/09/2025 - 10:13 GMT+2 •Updated 12:45

As galore arsenic 7 candidates moving for nan far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) statement person died during nan people of a section predetermination campaign, prompting nan dispersed of unfounded suspicions connected societal media.

Voters will elite district, municipal and metropolis councils arsenic good arsenic immoderate mayors successful nan occidental authorities of North-Rhine Westphalia connected 14 September, pinch an estimated 20,000 candidates moving for office.

According to media reports, 4 candidates and 2 back-up candidates for AfD person died during nan campaign, pinch nan causes of decease ranging from earthy causes to suicide.

A further candidate's decease was reported successful caller days, raising nan decease toll to seven.

Four of these deaths reportedly occurred successful nan abstraction of conscionable 13 days.

German constabulary authorities opportunity location is nary grounds of foul play successful narration to immoderate of nan deaths, while an AfD spokesperson from nan authorities has besides reportedly dismissed suspicions regarding nan decease toll.

A North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of nan Interior spokesperson told German news agency dpa that candidates from different parties had besides died during nan electoral campaign.

Yet nan AfD campaigner decease toll has sparked wide conspiracies and unfounded theories that propose nan deaths were successful immoderate measurement intentional.

Alice Weidel, nan 46-year-old leader of AfD — which was nan 2nd biggest statement successful February's federal elections — shared a station connected X which described nan deaths arsenic "statistically almost impossible".

Known disinformation actors person since amplified nan insinuation. These see British far-right activistic Tommy Robinson, who asked connected X "Wtf is going connected here?"

Elon Musk replied to Robinson's station pinch a one-word remark: "Weird".

Such insinuations from high-profile, arguable nationalist figures person fuelled nan dispersed of nan conspiracy.

Musk antecedently endorsed AfD successful nan run-up to February's national ballot, which saw AfD travel successful 2nd pinch 20.8% of nan vote, a record-breaking consequence for nan statement successful a nationalist election.

The statement antecedently won its first German territory assembly predetermination successful June 2023 and its first location predetermination successful nan authorities of Thuringia successful September 2024.

Ahead of nan North Rhine-Westphalia elections, EuroVerify has identified hundreds of posts suggesting that nan 7 candidates' deaths are successful immoderate measurement suspicious connected Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook, garnering tens of millions of views.

Conservative and far-right media outlets person besides published news articles describing nan deaths arsenic "mysterious" aliases "unexpected", contempt nary grounds to support these theories and contempt constabulary authorities dismissing immoderate criminality.