BERLIN, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The deputy premier of the German state of Bavaria and leader of the small conservative Free Voters party, Hubert Aiwanger, died suddenly on Wednesday, the head of the state government said.
“The sudden death of Hubert Aiwanger is a terrible tragedy. We are all deeply shocked,” Bavarian state premier Markus Soeder said on the social media platform X.
The daily Bild newspaper reported that Aiwanger, 55, who also served as Bavaria’s economy minister, had been in Berlin for the opening of a party office in the German capital but had missed the occasion after he felt unwell.
His body was later found in his hotel room, it said.
There was no immediate comment from Berlin police or prosecutors and no word on the cause of death.
The Free Voters of Bavaria have been in a coalition with the conservative Christian Social Union since 2018.
(Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by David Gregorio)
