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A German councillor dubbed the country's "craziest councillor" has unveiled plans to stage a sex party inside Mannheim's City Hall as he seeks to transform the city into a "swinger's paradise".
Julien Ferrat, a 35-year-old who heads the liberal Die Mannheimer party, has proposed hosting the event in a bid to attract swingers and nudists to the German city.
The proposal has already met resistance from Mannheim's local government, where the socially conservative Christian Democratic Union holds the largest number of seats.
Mr Ferrat's idea stems from an eight-day trip he previously organised to the renowned naturist village of Cap d'Agde in southern France, aimed at promoting the swinging lifestyle among German citizens.
That trip prompted him to consider positioning Mannheim as a convenient overnight destination for people travelling to the French resort from further afield.
"For people in northern Germany or Scandinavia, Cap d'Agde is too far to reach in one day," he told The Metro.
"If they are looking for somewhere to stay, we can attract them to Mannheim."
With an estimated 128,000 swingers across Germany, Mr Ferrat believes attracting the group could provide an economic boost to the city, which has around 330,000 residents.
Julien Ferrat has proposed hosting the event in a bid to attract swingers and nudists to the German city
|FACEBOOK/JULIEN FERRAT
"If we can attract more nudists and swingers it would be a good way to create more income for the city of Mannheim," he added.
Mr Ferrat, who is himself a swinger and nudist, has suggested City Hall as an ideal venue and said he has already attracted interest from 50 prospective participants.
He intends to vet each person himself to establish whether their interest is genuine.
"At the moment, the focus is on determining which of the citizens who contacted me are seriously interested," he told The Telegraph.
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Mr Ferrat, who is himself a swinger and nudist, has suggested City Hall as an ideal venue
|Some of those who have come forward are already established members of Mannheim's swinging scene, while others are not known to him.
"This week, I will start meeting the 'unknown' people in person," he said.
Mr Ferrat has also said the event would aim to challenge the social stigma surrounding non-monogamous lifestyles in Germany.
His proposal has received a frosty response from civic leaders in Mannheim.
Mr Ferrat believes attracting the group could provide an economic boost to the city, which has around 330,000 residents
|GETTY
"Based on the rudimentary information available so far, there are considerable doubts about the admissibility and feasibility of the plans," a city hall spokesman told German broadcaster SWR.
The municipal administration has pointed out that Mr Ferrat has yet to set a date or identify a specific room for the event, while also questioning how such a gathering relates to his responsibilities as a councillor.
Mr Ferrat won his seat on Mannheim City Council in 2024, having previously served between 2014 and 2019.
He was dubbed the country's "craziest councillor" by Die Zeit in 2017.
Despite his unconventional proposal, his party website lists more traditional priorities, including tackling rising rents, improving public safety and protecting healthcare.