Bavarian deputy premier Hubert Aiwanger found dead in Berlin hotel

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 5 Nov, 01:10 · Archive

Hubert Aiwanger, 55, Bavaria's deputy premier and economy minister, was found dead in a Berlin hotel on Wednesday.

Bavarian politician Hubert Aiwanger, 55, was found dead in a hotel room in Berlin on Wednesday evening. He was Bavaria's deputy premier, economy minister and chairman of the Free Voters party. Aiwanger had travelled to Berlin to attend the opening of a party office but cancelled his appearance after feeling unwell.

Aiwanger's body was discovered at the Neuer Fritz Hotel in the Berlin-Mitte district. Police and prosecutors in Berlin opened an investigation to determine the cause of death and the circumstances surrounding it. A spokesperson for Berlin's public prosecutor's office said there was no initial suspicion of a crime, adding that nothing could be ruled out at this point. Aiwanger did not have any obvious external injuries when he was found, according to reports.

Bavarian state premier Markus Söder, of the Christian Social Union, expressed shock at the news. 'The sudden death of Hubert Aiwanger is an absolute tragedy,' Söder said. 'Our thoughts are now first and foremost with his family and his children. We mourn with them and pray for them.'

Aiwanger had been a prominent figure in Bavarian politics since his election to the state parliament in 2008. Under his leadership, the Free Voters entered the Bavarian state government for the first time in 2018 as junior coalition partners with the CSU. The party has never won enough seats to qualify for Germany's federal parliament. Aiwanger was known for his combative political approach and had served as the face of the Free Voters across Germany.

In 2023, Aiwanger faced national controversy after reports emerged that he had written an antisemitic pamphlet as a 17-year-old schoolboy, in which Auschwitz was described as an 'entertainment quarter'.

How it is being reported

• Bavarian deputy premier Hubert Aiwanger is found dead in hotel room: Police launch probeHubert Aiwanger, 55, was a key political figure within Germany's largest state, and was also the leader of a small conservative party.Daily Mail · 5 Nov, 00:58
• Hubert Aiwanger, prominent German politician, found dead in Berlin hotelPolice and prosecutors open investigation into death of the 55-year-old Bavarian state deputy leader A prominent German politician was found dead in a Berlin hotel on Wednesday, police said, adding they had launched an investigation. The cause of death of Hubert Aiwanger, 55, who was deputy leader of southern Bavaria state, was not immediately clear. Continue reading...Guardian World · 5 Nov, 00:53
• Bavarian politician Hubert Aiwanger found dead in Berlin hotelAiwanger was Bavaria's economic minister and the chairman of the Free Voters Party. The circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear.DW News · 4 Nov, 21:00

In this story: Hubert Aiwanger · Markus Söder · Bavaria · Berlin · Free Voters · Christian Social Union

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log