Mannheim swinger party brings politics and group sex into city hall
Mannheim municipal councillor Julien Ferra has found an unconventional way to get closer to his constituents, inviting supporters to what he described as a “political swinger party” inside the German city’s town hall.
The 35-year-old politician had reserved a room in the municipal building for what was officially a meeting with voters. The gathering, however, also included group sex and went ahead despite opposition from local officials. According to Ferra, nine people took part – seven men and two women. The Mannheim swinger party lasted around three hours, with approximately one hour devoted to sexual activity.
The councillor later declared the event a success and brushed aside criticism of his decision to hold it inside a public building.
“If anyone criticises the event, it is only because they regret not being there,” Ferra said.
His latest initiative is not an isolated stunt. In August, Ferra announced an ambitious plan to turn Mannheim into what he called a “nudist and swinger paradise”, inspired by Cap d’Agde in France, which he had visited before developing the idea.
Councillor sees swinger tourism as a business opportunity
Ferra has also attempted to give his proposal an economic rationale. He claims that transforming Mannheim into a destination for nudists and swingers could eventually generate between €10 million and €20 million a year for the city.
His plans were set out in a ten-page document registered with the Mannheim City Council under number A328/2025. The proposal envisages the construction of hotels, clubs, restaurants and boutiques, as well as a dedicated nudist and swinger village capable of accommodating between 1,000 and 2,000 people.
The Mannheim swinger party therefore appears to have served as a practical demonstration of the much broader project Ferra is promoting for the city. Despite resistance from municipal officials, he was able to stage the event in the town hall after booking the room for a meeting with constituents.
What began as an eccentric proposal for attracting tourists has now moved directly into one of Mannheim’s public institutions. For Ferra, combining local politics with swinger culture is apparently part of a wider economic vision, for his critics, the use of the town hall for such an event is likely to raise rather different questions about the boundaries between private activity and public office.
