A newly elected mayor in western Germany, Iris Stalzer, has been left in critical condition after being stabbed near her residence in the town of Herdecke, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The 57-year-old politician, a member of Germany’s centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), was attacked only weeks after winning last month’s mayoral election in North Rhine-Westphalia. She had not yet been officially sworn into office.
Police said emergency services responded to an emergency call made around midday by Stalzer’s two adopted children — a 17-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son — who reported the incident. Paramedics treated Stalzer at the scene before she was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Bochum, where she remains in a critical but stable condition, according to German media reports.
Law enforcement officials have launched a major investigation and said all possible motives are being examined, including a potential domestic connection. Security sources revealed that an earlier domestic violence incident within the family had been recorded by police earlier this year.
Forensic experts in protective suits were seen arriving at the residence as detectives cordoned off the area. Local media reported that a teenager was observed being escorted into a police vehicle for questioning.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz denounced the attack as “a heinous act,” expressing concern for Stalzer’s life.
“We fear for the life of Mayor-elect Iris Stalzer and hope for her full recovery,” Merz said.
The SPD described the stabbing as “deeply shocking,” while Herdecke’s First Deputy Mayor, Dennis Osberg, extended his sympathies, wishing Stalzer a swift recovery.
“This news has shaken us all. Our thoughts are with her and her family,” Osberg stated.
The small riverside town of Herdecke, known for its quiet residential communities, has been left stunned by the violent attack. Police have urged the public to remain calm as investigations continue.
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