Almost four weeks after the life-threatening knife attack on SPD politician Iris Stalzer, her term as the new mayor of Herdecke officially began on Saturday. However, the city administration pointed out that there would be no special event for the new town hall boss that day. Her official inauguration will take place next Tuesday (November 4th).
Meanwhile, in an interview, Stalzer criticized the way some media and politicians were handling her case. “I actually didn’t expect such a media frenzy to arise,” said Stalzer in an interview with the “Westfalenpost”.
“I am not a federal politician or a person who has any national significance,” said Stalzer (SPD). “I think they could have been a little more considerate. I also think that legal boundaries were exceeded at one point or another, unfortunately.”
Stalzer would have liked more consideration
Stalzer was critically injured in her home on October 7th. Her 17-year-old adopted daughter is suspected of having threatened and tormented her for hours in the basement of the house. In addition to 13 stab wounds, the 57-year-old is said to have suffered numerous head injuries. An arrest warrant was issued against the daughter for grievous bodily harm.
Shortly after the crime became known – when the background was still completely unclear – several politicians commented on it. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) wrote on Platform X about a “hideous act”.
“I don’t want to blame Mr. Merz and I also realize that we live in fast-moving times,” said Stalzer. “But I find it extremely difficult to comment on things that you know so little about and then have an opinion about them in a matter of minutes.”
Now head of 380 employees in the city administration
On the first day of her term in office, the SPD politician will now take over the management of around 380 employees in the Herdecke city administration. When she is sworn in – at the beginning of the council meeting next Tuesday – she will reportedly also take over the chairmanship of the city council. Herdecke is located in the southeast of the Ruhr area and has around 23,000 inhabitants. Stalzer won the local elections in September after a runoff.
“I will accept the voters’ mandate”
The attack on the lawyer in her home on October 7th caused horror. However, Stalzer recently stated that she would take office as planned. “I have received a clear mandate from the voters and I will accept this mandate.”
When asked, Stalzer’s media lawyer Renate Schmid said: “Ms. Stalzer told the press a few days ago that she would be taking office thanks to the good care she received. There is nothing to add to this. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on November 4th.”
Her health is good, Stalzer told the “Westfalenpost”. As mayor, she can count on the full support of her husband and her party. “If the party that brought me into this office, that nominated me, had signaled that I was damaging the office, the party, I would have immediately said that I was withdrawing,” said Stalzer. Instead, there was “a very clear and unequivocal “yes” from all sides of the party”.
Received a lot of support from citizens
She also received a lot of support from citizens in the form of emails and letters. She received occasional critical feedback. However, she was not chosen by 100 percent of voters in the local elections. “That means those who didn’t want me before certainly don’t want me now. That’s just how I interpret it,” said Stalzer.
