Key facts
- Hubert Aiwanger led the Free Voters party and served as Bavaria's economy minister and deputy premier.
- Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder said on X: "The sudden death of Hubert Aiwanger is a terrible tragedy."
- Bild reported Aiwanger, 55, was in Berlin for a Free Voters office opening but missed it after feeling unwell.
- Berlin police said a death investigation was opened to establish the cause and rule out third-party involvement, per Der Spiegel.
- Berlin prosecutors confirmed Aiwanger was found in a hotel in Berlin, Der Spiegel reported.
- There was no immediate comment from Berlin police or prosecutors on the cause of death, Reuters reported.
Hubert Aiwanger, the deputy premier of the German state of Bavaria and leader of the small conservative Free Voters party, died suddenly on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the head of the state government said. He was 55 and also served as Bavaria's economy minister.
"The sudden death of Hubert Aiwanger is a terrible tragedy. We are all deeply shocked," Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder said on the social media platform X.
The daily Bild newspaper reported that Aiwanger had been in Berlin for the opening of a party office in the German capital but had missed the occasion after he felt unwell. His body was later found in his hotel room, it said. Berlin prosecutors confirmed Aiwanger was found in a hotel in Berlin, Der Spiegel reported, citing the prosecutors. Berlin police said a death investigation was opened to establish the cause and rule out third-party involvement, according to Der Spiegel.
There was no immediate comment from Berlin police or prosecutors on the cause of death, Reuters reported. The Free Voters of Bavaria have been in a coalition with the conservative Christian Social Union since 2018.