Former mayor of Sylt passed away after reelection defeat

Background

Nikolas Häckel, the recently unseated mayor of the island of Sylt in the North Sea, was found dead at his home on Sunday, police said. No foul play is suspected.

Häckel, 56, lost his bid for a second term in office last week to independent candidate Inger Kathrin Jensen.

The election campaign was acrimonious, with Häckel accusing Jensen of being a puppet of outside interests and Jensen accusing Häckel of being out of touch with the needs of the island.

What happened?

Police were called to Häckel's home in the village of Westerland on Sunday afternoon after a family member reported that he had not been seen or heard from in several days.

Officers found Häckel's body in his bedroom. There were no signs of a struggle or foul play, police said.

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed on Monday to determine the cause of death.

Reaction

Jensen expressed sadness at Häckel's death and said that she would work to unite the island after a divisive election campaign.

"This is a sad day for Sylt," Jensen said in a statement. "Nikolas Häckel was a dedicated public servant who loved this island. I offer my condolences to his family and friends."

Häckel's death is a reminder of the pressures that politicians face, especially during contentious election campaigns.