3 hours agoGermany shocks, 16 candidates die before local elections, the conspiracy theories begin
Periskopi(9 months ago)
(9 months ago)A series of unusual deaths have shaken public opinion in Germany, as 16 candidates for local elections in the largest German state, North Rohine-Westpholia, have passed away before the vote takes place. The news has been confirmed by the director of elections in this land, while social networks are filled with conspiracy theories, especially since 7 of [...]
The AfD, which has seen significant rise in popularity in recent years, has also been in the spotlight because of statements by co-chairman Alice Weidel, who shared retired economist Stefan Homburg's claims on social networks, that “Such a large number of deaths is statistically almost impossible”, Report TimenewsPeroscope broadcast.
However, German police have ruled out any signs of violent death or outside interference, at least in the first four reported cases.
Deaths have also affected the election process, as legislation allows for holding repeat elections in case any candidate changes life before the vote. These elections could be held the same day as the main elections.
In all, over 20,000 candidates have registered for local elections in this country with a population of 18 million. In the last elections, AfD received only 5.4% of the vote in this region, but in last year's federal elections, it managed to win 16..8%, signaling a strong rise.
Elon Mousk's statements, which expressed open support for the AfD by saying “or Germany votes for AfD, or is the end of Germany”, have further sparked public debate.
Meanwhile, the AfD is officially classified as an extremist entity by Germany's internal intelligence agency, BfV. This allows authorities to put the party under stricter supervision, including surveillance of communications and infiltrate with secret informants.
In an internal 1,000-page report, BfV accuses the party of violating constitutional principles and discrimination against specific ethnic groups, aiming at creating a society where certain categories of citizens are treated as less valuable.
Interior Minister Nancy Fyser stressed that “AfD represents an ethnic concept that discriminates against whole groups of people and deals with citizens with stories of second-hand German migration”. But, she denied any political influence on BfV's conclusions.
