Four candidates representing Alternative for Germany died unexpectedly approximately two weeks before the scheduled municipal elections in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The deceased were identified as Ralph Lange, aged sixty-six; Wolfgang Seitz, aged fifty-nine; Wolfgang Klinger, aged seventy-one; and Stefan Berendes, aged fifty-nine.

No causes of death have been disclosed, and no official investigations have been reported.

Elections are set to take place in mid-September across four hundred and twenty-seven municipalities.

Even though many voters have already cast postal ballots, the deaths require new ballots to be drafted and held in the affected districts.

Economics professor Stefan Homburg described the four fatalities as “suspicious and statistically almost impossible,” citing the timing and number as cause for concern.

Official confirmation of the deaths and their circumstances from German authorities remains pending.

The developments emerge as the AfD has gained ground in North Rhine-Westphalia ahead of the elections, with polling data indicating rising support amid weakening positions of traditional parties.

This context underscores the logistical and political complications introduced by such sudden candidate losses.