Bavarian deputy governor Hubert Aiwanger found dead at Berlin hotel

Berlin police and prosecutors confirmed the death of Hubert Aiwanger, the 55-year-old leader of Germany’s Free Voters party, after his body was discovered in a hotel room in the capital’s center on Wednesday evening. An autopsy performed the following day found no evidence that another person was involved in the death.

Aiwanger served as Bavaria’s deputy governor and economy minister for the southern state. He had led the Free Voters regionally since 2006 and at the national level since 2010. The politician was known for his combative style and strong regional accent, which helped the party challenge the long-dominant Christian Social Union in Bavarian politics.

On the afternoon of his death, Aiwanger had planned to speak at the opening of a new Free Voters office in Berlin. According to reports from the German news agency dpa, he pulled out of the event for health reasons. This was the final public appearance before his body was found later that evening.

The Free Voters under Aiwanger’s leadership entered the Bavarian state legislature in 2008. Ten years later, when the Christian Social Union lost its majority in that body, the Free Voters joined the state government as a junior coalition partner. Despite these state-level gains, the party made only limited progress outside Bavaria, and Aiwanger never led it into the national parliament.

In 2023, shortly before the Bavarian election, Aiwanger faced scrutiny over allegations that he was responsible for an antisemitic flyer during his high school years. He denied the claims, and the Free Voters emerged from the election with increased support, remaining part of the state government.

Bavarian governor Markus Söder reacted to the news on social media, describing the sudden death as an absolute tragedy. Aiwanger is survived by his partner, Free Voters politician Tanja Schweiger, and two children.