Overview

• AfD’s state branch in North Rhine‑Westphalia says the tally has risen to seven after Remscheid direct candidate Hans-Joachim Kind, 80, died of natural causes following a long illness.
• Investigators report no indications of external involvement; one death was ruled a suicide and another involved a pre‑existing liver condition, according to police and party statements.
• Election officials confirm that candidate deaths have also occurred in other parties, with earlier figures indicating about ten cases statewide, several outside the AfD.
• The deaths trigger administrative steps in affected districts, including ballot reprints and the requirement that impacted postal voters cast new ballots as previous certificates lose validity.
• AfD figures call for careful review without asserting foul play, and reporting has debunked a fabricated quote attributed to Alice Weidel that circulated on a right‑wing outlet.