Hubert Aiwanger, the leader of the Free Voters and Bavarian Minister of Economics, has died after being found lifeless in a hotel room in Berlin. Government sources confirmed the incident to the F.A.Z. on Wednesday evening, although the exact circumstances surrounding his death are currently unknown.
According to reports from Bild, Aiwanger missed an appointment in Berlin on Wednesday due to health reasons and remained at the Neuer Fritz hotel in Berlin-Mitte. He was originally scheduled to attend the opening of the Free Voters' office in the city, but Bavarian Digital Minister Fabian Mehring appeared in his place. The Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported that Aiwanger later became unreachable and was eventually discovered lifeless in his room.
Aiwanger was 55 years old at the time of his death. He leaves behind a partner with whom he has two sons. His passing marks a significant loss for the Free Voters, as he was considered one of the party's most prominent and combative figures.
Aiwanger first entered the Bavarian state parliament in 2008, where he served as the party's parliamentary group leader. A decade later, in 2018, the Free Voters formed a coalition with the CSU. He subsequently served as Minister of Economics and Deputy Prime Minister starting in 2023.
Just prior to his death, the Free Voters under Aiwanger's leadership had achieved significant victories in the Bavarian local elections earlier in the spring, replacing the CSU in many district administrator positions. Despite these successes at the state level, Aiwanger was unable to achieve a major political goal: securing entry for his party into the federal Bundestag.
Sources: FAZ.