BERLIN (AP) — The newly elected mayor of a town in western Germany was found with life-threatening wounds on Tuesday.
Investigators stated there was no evidence of a political motive behind the attack and suspect a family connection.
Iris Stalzer was elected mayor of Herdecke on September 28. She is a member of the center-left Social Democrats, the junior party in Germany’s conservative-led national government.
Police and prosecutors reported that Stalzer, 57, was found at her home shortly before 1 p.m. with life-threatening injuries. She was quickly transported to a hospital by helicopter. Authorities did not provide details regarding the nature of her wounds.
Matthias Miersch, the leader of the Social Democrats’ parliamentary group in Berlin, told reporters Tuesday afternoon, “We heard a few minutes ago that newly elected Mayor Iris Stalzer was stabbed in Herdecke.”
A later statement from police and prosecutors said that, “as things stand, there are no indications of a politically motivated act,” adding that a family connection is “presumed.” While the statement did not elaborate further, it mentioned that the victim’s children were still with police to help clarify the circumstances of the incident.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack, calling it “an abhorrent act.” He expressed his concern and support on social media: “We fear for the life of Mayor-elect Iris Stalzer and hope for her full recovery.”
Stalzer won election by defeating a candidate from Merz’s center-right Christian Democrats in a runoff vote. She is scheduled to take office on November 1.
Herdecke is a town of about 23,000 residents located in western Germany’s Ruhr region, situated between the cities of Hagen and Dortmund.
According to Stalzer’s official website, she is married with two teenage children. She has spent almost her entire life in Herdecke and works as a lawyer specializing in labor law.
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