German politician Hubert Aiwanger found dead in Berlin hotel, police open investigation

Police in Berlin have opened an investigation after Hubert Aiwanger, the 55-year-old head of the Free Voters and Bavarian economy minister, was found dead in a hotel room in the Berlin-Mitte district. Authorities said the cause of death was not immediately clear and that they were examining the circumstances surrounding the discovery. They also said the inquiry would seek to rule out any possible third-party involvement.

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According to the police statement, Aiwanger was found dead in his hotel room on Wednesday. Police and prosecutors said they had opened a probe to determine the specific cause and circumstances of death. No further details were released, and officials did not say when he was last seen or whether any medical emergency had been reported before his body was discovered.

Aiwanger had been in Berlin for a Free Voters event, according to German media reports, but missed the opening of a party office because he was feeling unwell. His body was later discovered by police at the hotel, those reports said. Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder described the death as an absolute tragedy and said his thoughts were with Aiwanger's family and children.

The Free Voters were junior partners in the Bavarian regional government led by Soeder's Christian Social Union. The death is significant because Aiwanger was one of the most prominent figures in Bavarian state politics and had led the Free Voters since 2006. Under his leadership, the party entered the state government for the first time in 2018, although it never won enough seats to enter Germany's federal parliament.

His role as both party leader and state economy minister made him a central figure in the coalition arrangement in Bavaria. Aiwanger had also been a controversial national figure. In 2023, he faced scrutiny after reports alleged he had written an antisemitic pamphlet as a schoolboy, an accusation he denied.

He later apologised over the affair but refused to step down. German media also reported that he had two children and lived with his partner. What remains unclear is the exact cause of death and whether investigators will identify any external involvement.

Police and prosecutors have not released a timeline for the inquiry or said whether an autopsy or other forensic steps have been completed. The case is likely to draw continued attention because of Aiwanger's senior political role and the limited information so far from investigators.

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