00:00AFD Candidates Deaths Spark Unfounded Suspicions on Social Media
00:05As many as six candidates for the far-right Alternative for Germany Party have died in recent weeks
00:15ahead of local elections in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia
00:18and it's prompted unfounded suspicions on social media.
00:22On September 14, district, municipal and city councils as well as some mayors
00:28will be elected in the Western German state with a reported 20,000 candidates running for office.
00:34Police have ruled out any foul play in relation to these six deaths.
00:39The causes range from serious pre-existing conditions to suicide.
00:44A senior official from Alternative for Germany itself has also dismissed speculation that
00:49these deaths were in any way intentional.
00:52But there have also been clear attempts to sow conspiracy and suspicions.
00:57The party's leader, Alice Vidal, shared a post on X where another user describes the death toll
01:03as statistically almost impossible.
01:06This theory has been amplified on social media and by controversial public figures.
01:11Here, British far-right activist Tommy Robinson asks what's going on?
01:17And the billionaire owner of X, Elon Musk, comments weird.
01:21Conservative publications have also misleadingly described the deaths as mysterious or unexpected.
01:28The North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of the Interior has said that candidates from other parties have also died in the electoral campaign
01:36but that these deaths have not sparked the same unfounded suspicions.
01:40The deaths do mean that ballot papers issued in certain constituencies as well as some mail-in votes are now invalid.
01:47It also means the party will have to nominate new candidates to replace the deceased.
Comentarios