Iris Stalzer, 57, is fighting for her life after being stabbed by multiple men in a brutal attack. The newly elected mayor of Herdecke was found with multiple knife wounds to her stomach and back in her apartment on Tuesday.
Her son discovered the critically injured mayor and immediately called emergency services. She was rushed to hospital where she remains in critical condition with what GB News reports as 13 stab wounds.
Stalzer told authorities she had been attacked by several men on the street before making it back to her residence. Police have issued an urgent appeal for information about the incident, with a large investigation now underway in the North Rhine-Westphalia town.
Recent election victory
The attack comes just one week after Stalzer took office following her election victory on September 28. She won the mayoral race with 52.2 per cent of the vote in a runoff election, representing the Social Democratic Party.
The mother-of-two had celebrated her electoral success on social media before taking up her new role. Herdecke, located in the Ruhr region, has a population of around 22,500 residents.
Safety concerns emerge
The incident has raised immediate questions about the safety of elected officials in Germany. Authorities have not yet determined whether there was a political motivation behind the assault on the SPD politician.
Local police are treating the case as a priority investigation. It remains unclear whether the attackers specifically targeted Stalzer because of her political position or if this was a random violent crime.
Sources used: "Daily Star", "GB News", "Metro", "Daily Mail", "Mirror"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
