Hubert Aiwanger, Bavaria’s deputy premier, economy minister and Free Voters party leader, was found dead in a Berlin hotel on Wednesday, Nov. 4. He was 55. Berlin police and prosecutors opened an investigation to establish the cause and circumstances of his death and rule out third-party involvement. Authorities have not announced a cause [dw.com][lemonde.fr][theguardian.com][rbb24.de]. Aiwanger had traveled to Berlin for the opening of a Free Voters office but canceled his appearance after feeling unwell, according to German media reports. He was later found in his hotel room in the Mitte district [dw.com][abc.es][nd.nl]. His death leaves a leadership vacancy in the Free Voters, the junior partner in Bavaria’s governing coalition with the Christian Social Union since 2018. Bavarian State Secretary Tobias Gotthardt is temporarily taking over Aiwanger’s government duties. The party’s succession arrangements remain unsettled; Aiwanger had planned to seek another term as federal party chairman the weekend after next [kurier.at][rbb24.de]. Highlights: • Political career: Aiwanger became leader of the Free Voters’ Bavarian branch in 2006 and entered the state parliament in 2008 [dw.com][kurier.at]. • School controversy: During a 2023 dispute over an antisemitic pamphlet from his school years, Aiwanger denied writing it but acknowledged that one or more copies had been in his schoolbag; his older brother later said he wrote it [theguardian.com][blick.ch][digi24.ro]. • Party reach: The Free Voters have served in Bavaria’s government but failed to win enough votes to enter Germany’s federal parliament [dw.com][theguardian.com]. • Interim duties: Gotthardt was returning from a delegation trip to Singapore to resume his duties in Bavaria [kurier.at]. • Investigation details: Berlin prosecutors said they could not disclose the circumstances in which Aiwanger was found because of the investigation; a spokesperson said an autopsy was expected [kurier.at][abc.es]. Perspectives: Péter Vida, Brandenburg state leader of BVB/Free Voters: Vida described Aiwanger as a guiding figure who had fundamentally changed the political landscape and called his loss irreplaceable [rbb24.de]. (rbb24) Karl Lauterbach, Social Democratic politician: Lauterbach, a political opponent, called Aiwanger combative and sometimes difficult, while saying he had pursued his political commitment with passion [blick.ch]. (Blick) "The sudden death of Hubert Aiwanger is an absolute tragedy." — Markus Söder, Bavarian state premier Sources: • Bavarian politician Hubert Aiwanger found dead in Berlin hotel - dw.com • Bavarian economy minister found dead - rt-english.com • Bavaria's Deputy Premier Hubert Aiwanger found dead in Berlin hotel - lemonde.fr • Hubert Aiwanger, prominent German politician, found dead in Berlin hotel - theguardian.com • Deputy premier of German state Bavaria dies suddenly - straitstimes.com • No signs of violent death in Bavarian economy minister’s case — media - tass.com • Un homme politique allemand retrouvé mort dans un hôtel à Berlin - watson.ch • Le ministre bavarois de l’Économie Hubert Aiwanger retrouvé mort dans un hôtel - blick.ch • Bayerischer Wirtschaftsminister tot in Berliner Hotel gefunden - kurier.at • Zamjenik premijera Bavarske pronađen mrtav u berlinskom hotelu - jutarnji.hr • Vicepremierul Bavariei, găsit mort într-un hotel din Berlin / „Moartea subită a lui Hubert Aiwanger e o tragedie teribilă” - g4media.ro • Beierse vicepremier Hubert Aiwanger (55) dood aangetroffen in hotel in Berlijn - nieuwsblad.be • Hallan muerto en un hotel de Berlín al viceprimer ministro de Baviera, Hubert Aiwanger - abc.es • Bavyera Başbakan Yardımcısı Hubert Aiwanger otelde ölü bulundu - odatv.com • Bayerns Wirtschaftsminister Hubert Aiwanger in Berlin tot aufgefunden - rbb24.de • Hubert Aiwanger, vicepremier al landului Bavaria și politician german proeminent, a fost găsit mort într-un hotel din Berlin - digi24.ro • Beierse vicepremier Hubert Aiwanger dood aangetroffen in hotel - nd.nl • Bavyera Başbakan Yardımcısı Aiwanger ölü bulundu - haberturk.com --- 📰 Story aggregated by Kagi News