No foul play in death of Bavaria deputy premier, prosecutors say

German authorities ‌said on Thursday ​that no external causes were involved in the sudden death of Hubert ‌Aiwanger, deputy premier of the state of Bavaria and leader of a small conservative party.

The Berlin prosecutors' office said in ‌its statement that forensic examinations would continue and did ‌not specify the cause of death. Aiwanger was found dead in a Berlin hotel room on Wednesday, prompting a police probe.

"The sudden death of ⁠Hubert ​Aiwanger is a ⁠terrible tragedy. We are all deeply shocked," Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder ⁠said in a statement published on the state government's website. Aiwanger, 55, ​who was also Bavaria's economy minister and leader of the ⁠regional Free Voters party, had been in Berlin for the opening of ⁠a ​party office in the German capital but had missed the occasion after he felt unwell, the Bild ⁠newspaper reported.

The Free Voters of Bavaria have been in a coalition ⁠with ⁠the conservative Christian Social Union in the state since 2018.