Newly elected mayor stabbed in Germany, she is in critical condition

The newly elected mayor of the German town of Gerdeke in the Ruhr region (North Rhine-Westphalia) was found with severe stab wounds, and her life is in danger. This was reported by Reuters with reference to an unnamed security source.

At the same time, the newspaper Bild reported that the person in question is 57-year-old Iris Stalzer, a Social Democrat who is due to take office in November after being elected head of Gerdeke a week ago.

Later, the media clarified that police had detained the woman's 15-year-old adopted son. Law enforcement officers took the teenager away, handcuffing him and putting him in overalls to prevent him from losing possible traces on his body.

The young man himself claimed that his mother was allegedly attacked by unidentified men near the house.

The newspaper also confirmed that Stalzer is in critical condition. She was found to have multiple stab wounds to her back and abdomen.

"We have received news of a terrible incident in Gerdek. An immediate investigation is needed. We fear for the life of the newly elected mayor and hope for her full recovery," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on social media.

Stahlzer, who represents the Social Democratic Party of Germany, was elected mayor of Gerdeke, a town of more than 20,000 people, on September 28. She received 52.8% of the vote in the second round.

• On May 23, 2025, a knife attack took place at the central railway station in Hamburg, Germany, injuring at least 12 people.
• On June 14, it was reported that in Berlin, a Ukrainian man was attacked with a knife. The man said it happened when strangers learned about his nationality.