Bavarian Deputy Leader Hubert Aiwanger Found Dead in Berlin Hotel; Investigation Opened

Hubert Aiwanger, the 55-year-old deputy leader of Bavaria and head of the Free Voters party, was found dead in his Berlin hotel room on Wednesday, police said. Berlin police and prosecutors opened an investigation to determine the specific cause and circumstances of death and to rule out possible third-party culpability, and gave no further details. Aiwanger, also Bavaria's economy minister, was in Berlin for the opening of a new party office but missed the event because he felt unwell, the Bild daily reported. His body was found in the Berlin-Mitte district, where the hotel is located. Michael Petzold, a Berlin prosecutor's office spokesperson, told Bild there was no initial suspicion of a crime but that nothing could be ruled out. Bild also reported, citing sources, that no external injuries were found, and that members of the Christian Social Union (CSU) said he had had gastrointestinal problems. Bavarian premier Markus Soeder called the death an "absolute tragedy" and said his thoughts were with Aiwanger's family and children. The Free Voters are junior partners in Soeder's CSU-led government, and Aiwanger had led the party's Bavarian branch since 2006.

The New York Post and Newsmax lead differently. The Post's headline calls Aiwanger "scandal-ridden," labels him right-wing, and says investigators cannot rule out foul play. It adds details about his third-floor room, the hotel name, friends who could not reach him, and his 2023 antisemitism controversy. Newsmax runs the AP text describing a conservative party that has been a mainstay of Bavarian politics and sought wider influence, without the scandal framing. The Guardian US and The Washington Post agree on the core facts: the death, the investigation and the party role. The Guardian stresses the police statement and Soeder's tribute and avoids the Post's scandal angle, while the Washington Post, like AP, calls the party conservative. The left and right agree on the cause being unclear, but the right adds more speculative and biographical detail.