Herdecke, a small town in western Germany, is in shock after its newly elected mayor was found in critical condition on Wednesday, having been stabbed in her own home. Police officials confirmed the grim details.
Iris Stalzer, a Social Democrat from the center-left who secured her mayoral victory in a runoff vote last month, was immediately rushed by helicopter to a local hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his deep concern via social media, stating, “We fear for the life of the mayor-elect Iris Stalzer and hope for her full recovery.” He condemned the incident as a “heinous act.”
At 57 years old, Ms. Stalzer’s attack’s motive remains unclear; investigators have not yet determined if she was a specific target or a victim of random violence. A police investigation is underway.
A respected lawyer, Ms. Stalzer has a long history in Herdecke’s local politics and was scheduled to assume her mayoral duties on November 1st, as confirmed by the municipality.
This incident unfortunately highlights a growing trend of political violence in Germany. Just last year, numerous lawmakers faced assaults during their state election campaigns.
A stark reminder of such dangers occurred in 2015 when Henriette Reker, then a mayoral candidate for Cologne, was critically wounded in a neck stabbing just a day before her election.