By Basant El-Faramawy
German authorities have launched an investigation after Hubert Aiwanger, the deputy premier of Bavaria and federal chairman of the Free Voters party, was found dead in a hotel room in Berlin on Wednesday evening. The 55-year-old politician had been scheduled to speak at the opening of a party office but missed the event after reporting feeling unwell.
Investigation under way
Berlin police and prosecutors said the inquest aims to establish the cause of death and rule out any third-party involvement. The public prosecutor’s office stated there is no initial suspicion of a crime, though nothing can be ruled out. According to German outlet Bild, Aiwanger’s body showed no external injuries. He was discovered at the Hotel Neuer Fritz in central Berlin, where police and state government vehicles were seen outside.
Health concerns prior to death
Staff members believed Aiwanger might be suffering from an infection, while members of the Christian Social Union parliamentary group said he had been experiencing gastrointestinal problems. The politician had joined the Free Voters in 2002 and rose to become the party’s federal chairman in 2010.
Political career and coalition
Aiwanger served as economy minister in Bavaria, Germany’s largest state. The Free Voters have governed Bavaria in coalition with the conservative Christian Social Union since 2018. He was first elected to the Landshut county council in 2004 and led the party when it sent its first member, Ulrike Mueller, to the European Parliament in 2014.
Tributes from leaders
Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder described the sudden death as a terrible tragedy, expressing deep shock and offering condolences to Aiwanger’s family, including his long-term partner Tanja Schweiger and their two children. The regional government’s website also published a statement mourning the loss.
