The Lower Saxony local politician Kristian W. Tangermann, husband of NRW Transport Minister Ina Brandes, has died.
The German Press Agency (dpa) learned this on Wednesday from the politician's environment.
Tangermann was mayor of the municipality of Lilienthal in Lower Saxony.
She published a letter of condolence on her website.
Accordingly, Tangermann died completely unexpectedly on Tuesday.
"Our deepest sympathy goes to his family, especially his wife Ina Brandes," the text says.
The CDU politician Brandes has been Minister of Transport in North Rhine-Westphalia since the end of October 2021.
Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU), who previously held the office, appointed Brandes Minister after succeeding Armin Laschet (CDU) as head of government.
Wüst also publicly expressed his condolences to Brandes on Tuesday evening.
The news of Tangermann's death hit him deeply, Wüst wrote on Twitter.
The entire state cabinet is thinking of Brandes, who has suffered an irreplaceable loss.
"I personally mourn the loss of a longtime political friend," Wüst wrote on Twitter.