Bavarian Deputy Premier Aiwanger Found Dead in Berlin Hotel
Hubert Aiwanger, Bavaria's deputy premier, was found dead Wednesday in a Berlin hotel room. The cause of death is not yet known.
- 55-year-old Aiwanger was also Bavaria's economy minister.
- He skipped a party office opening in Berlin after feeling unwell, Bild reported.
- He had no obvious external injuries when found, Bild reported.
- He had led the Bavarian Free Voters since 2006.
Why it matters: Aiwanger was the second-ranking figure in Germany's largest state government. His party relied on him as its leader.
- The Free Voters entered Bavaria's government for the first time in 2018.
- The party never qualified for seats in the federal parliament.
How 7 sources split on this story
Where they split: Outlets do not dispute the facts but label the Free Voters differently: Deutsche Welle says right-wing populist, The Guardian populist, the Daily Mail conservative.
Center coverage, 1 sources: The center reports the death briefly as breaking news, stresses that circumstances remain unclear, and calls the Free Voters right-wing populist.
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left presents his death alongside his full record, including the 2023 controversy over an antisemitic school pamphlet he denied writing, and calls his party populist.
Right coverage, 4 sources: The right leads with the police inquiry into possible foul play and describes the Free Voters as a small conservative party.
What’s next: Police and prosecutors opened an inquiry into the cause and circumstances of death. They aim to rule out third-party involvement.
- A Berlin prosecutors' spokesperson said there is no initial suspicion of a crime, but nothing is ruled out.
- What caused Aiwanger's death?
- Who will lead the Free Voters and fill his posts in the Bavarian government?
