Hubert Aiwanger

Hubert Aiwanger (born 26 January 1971) is a German politician and party leader of the Free Voters (German: Freie Wähler) since 2018, the Deputy Minister President of Bavaria and Bavarian Minister of Economic affairs, Regional Development and Energy. He is both the faction leader of the Federal Association of Free Voters and the Bavarian State Association of Free and Independent Voters, in addition to being the chairman of the Federal Free Voters Party and the Free Voters of Bavaria Party. He has acted as the party leader of the Parliamentary faction of the Free Voters of Bavaria since 2008. Early life Upon graduating from the Burkhart-Gymnasium in Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg and subsequently finishing his compulsory military service, he studied agricultural sciences at the Weihenstephan College with tuition assistance from the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung, receiving a degree in Agricultural Engineering. Aiwanger is a Roman Catholic. Political career Aiwanger joined the Free Voters shortly before the council elections of 2002. He ran as a candidate for the city council of Rottenburg an der Laaber, but narrowly lost the race. He then shortly thereafter rose through the party ranks, joining the regional council of Rottenburg. In 2004 he became a member of the county council in Landshut and had a brief tenure as the district chairman