Berlin Prosecutors Investigate Death of Bavaria's Hubert Aiwanger, 55

Prosecutors and police in Berlin have opened an investigation into the death of Hubert Aiwanger, the Bavarian deputy premier, whose body was found in a hotel in the German capital on Wednesday. The aim is to establish the specific cause of death and the surrounding circumstances, and to rule out any possible foul play, investigators said that evening, according to DW.

The circumstances remain unclear. Aiwanger was 55. Here is what is known so far.

What are investigators doing?

The public prosecutor's office in Berlin and city police are leading the inquiry, DW reported. Investigators said on Wednesday evening that they want to determine exactly how Aiwanger died and to exclude the possibility of a crime. No cause of death has been announced.

Where and how was he found?

According to Bild, Aiwanger's body was discovered on Wednesday evening at the "Neuer Fritz" Hotel on Friedrichstrasse in the Mitte district of Berlin. The prosecutor's office confirmed that he was found dead in a hotel in the city.

Was he ill before his death?

Bild reported that Aiwanger had been feeling unwell on Wednesday. The German news agency dpa reported that he had been due to give a speech at the opening of his party's Berlin office but canceled because of health reasons. Neither report has been linked by officials to the cause of death, and investigators have not commented on his condition.

How have political leaders reacted?

Bavarian state premier Markus Söder of the Christian Social Union said he was "deeply shocked" by the news. In a post on X, Söder called the death an "absolute tragedy" and said his thoughts were first with Aiwanger's family and children. He added that he and his party mourn with them and pray for them.

Who was Hubert Aiwanger?

Born in Lower Bavaria in southern Germany, Aiwanger was elected to the Bavarian State Parliament in 2008 for the Free Voters and went on to lead the party's parliamentary group. He chaired the right-wing populist party and was its public face in Bavaria and nationally, known for a combative style, according to DW.

In 2018 the Free Voters formed a coalition with the center-right CSU, the Bavarian sister party of the Christian Democratic Union, which leads the federal government. Aiwanger became Bavaria's economy minister and deputy state premier. His party never won enough seats to enter the Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament, so his success stayed largely at the state level.

Why does it matter?

Aiwanger held two senior posts in the Bavarian government and led a party that has been the CSU's coalition partner since 2018. His death removes the most recognizable figure of the Free Voters, a party closely identified with him. How his ministerial duties and the party leadership will be handled has not been disclosed.

For now, the immediate questions are about the death itself. Until Berlin prosecutors report their findings, the cause and circumstances remain open, and the accounts of his illness and the canceled speech come from media reports rather than official statements.

What happens next?

The investigation in Berlin is continuing. Prosecutors have not given a timetable for results or said whether further details will be released.

Earlier on Around Prague: Bavarian deputy premier Hubert Aiwanger found dead in Berlin hotel

Around Prague, based on reporting by Apa.az