The newly elected mayor of Herdecke, western Germany, was in critical condition on Wednesday after she was found stabbed in her home in the small town, police officials said.
The mayor-elect, Iris Stalzer, a center-left Social Democrat who won a runoff vote late last month, was airlifted by a helicopter to a nearby hospital, the officials said.
The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, posted on social media, “We fear for the life of the mayor-elect Iris Stalzer and hope for her full recovery.” The attack was a “heinous act,” he added.
It was initially unclear whether Ms. Stalzer, 57, had been targeted or was the victim of a random attack. The police said that they had started an investigation.
Ms. Stalzer, a lawyer, has long been active in city politics in Herdecke and was supposed to start her term as mayor on Nov. 1, according to the municipality.
Political violence has become more common in Germany. Last year, during state elections, several lawmakers were assaulted while campaigning.
In 2015, Henriette Reker was nearly killed when an assailant stabbed her in the neck the day before she was elected mayor of Cologne.
Christopher F. Schuetze is a reporter for The Times based in Berlin, covering politics, society and culture in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
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