Hubert Aiwanger, the 55-year-old deputy leader of Bavaria and leader of the conservative Free Voters party, was found dead in a hotel room in Berlin on Wednesday evening. Police have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of death and explore the possibility of foul play.
Aiwanger was in the German capital for the opening of a party office but reportedly canceled his appearance after feeling unwell. He was subsequently discovered in his room at the Neuer Fritz Hotel. Investigators stated that the inquest aims to establish the specific cause of death and circumstances, and to rule out any potential third-party involvement, though they noted there is no initial suspicion of a crime. Bild newspaper reported that Aiwanger showed no obvious external injuries.
Bavarian premier Markus Soeder described Aiwanger's death as a "terrible tragedy" and expressed that "we are all deeply shocked." Aiwanger also served as Bavaria's economy minister and had been part of a coalition government with the Christian Social Union since 2018.