Hubert Aiwanger, the Bavarian Deputy Minister-President and leader of the Free Voters party, has died at the age of 55. The politician was discovered unresponsive in a hotel room in Berlin-Mitte on Wednesday evening, according to reports confirmed by state officials.
The Berlin public prosecutor’s office has initiated a death investigation. Preliminary findings from an autopsy performed on Thursday morning indicate that Aiwanger died of natural causes with no evidence of third-party involvement. “The autopsy has provided indications that it is ultimately a natural death,” stated Michael Petzold, a spokesperson for the Berlin General Prosecutor’s Office, though he noted that further forensic examinations remain pending.
Aiwanger had been in the capital for the scheduled opening of a new Berlin office for the Free Voters. He did not attend the event earlier on Wednesday, reportedly due to health-related issues that had emerged during the day.
Markus Söder Mourns the Sudden Death of Hubert Aiwanger
Bavarian Minister-Markus Söder, who led a coalition government with Aiwanger’s party since 2018, expressed deep shock regarding the loss of his deputy.
🇩🇪 Bavarian Economy Minister Hubert Aiwanger Found Dead at 55 German media reports that Hubert Aiwanger, Bavaria’s Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, has been found dead in a Berlin hotel room. The Free Voters party leader reportedly canceled his scheduled appearance… pic.twitter.com/k0nAX5YmPo
“The sudden death of Hubert Aiwanger is an absolute tragedy,” Söder posted on the platform X. “We are all deeply shocked. Our thoughts are now first and foremost with his family and his children.”
Söder, who has ordered flags at all state buildings in Bavaria to be flown at half-mast, praised his former colleague as a “strong Bavarian” and a dedicated, modest public servant. He indicated that the governing coalition in Munich intends to continue its work in line with the policy goals established during their partnership. Federal Friedrich Merz also offered his condolences, describing Aiwanger as a “combative politician” who held his convictions with great passion.
Impact on the Free Voters Party
Under his leadership, the party successfully transitioned from a regional movement to a governing force in Bavaria, securing notable victories in local and state elections. Following the announcement of his death, party officials confirmed that the upcoming federal party congress, where Aiwanger was expected to stand for re-election as federal chairman, has been postponed until at least next year, with deputy federal chairman and Rhineland-Palatinate European Parliament member Joachim Streit stating on Thursday to SWR that Now other things need to be settled, which is why we want to cancel the federal party congress and hold it at another date, which will probably be next year,
as noted in reporting by dpa, AFP, and RTL. Acondolence book is set to be displayed in the Prinz-Carl-Palais in Munich starting Friday.
Administrative continuity is currently being managed by Tobias Gotthardt, who was recalled from a delegation trip to Singapore to assist in the transition. While the party now faces the challenge of leadership succession, officials have emphasized that priority is currently being given to mourning and supporting Aiwanger’s family, including his long-time partner, Regensburg District Administrator Tanja Schweiger, and his two sons.
| Event | Status |
|---|---|
| Discovery of death | Wednesday evening, Berlin-Mitte |
| Autopsy results | Preliminary, natural causes |
| State mourning | Flags at half-mast in Bavaria |
| Political impact | Federal party congress postponed |
The 6th Homicide Division of the Berlin State Criminal Police remains involved in the investigation to formally exclude any possibility of external influence.
