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Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker
Photo: Thomas Banneyer / picture alliance / dpa
Can a Jeckin become a carnival prince in Cologne?
The Mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker (independent) wants that – and more.
At the start of the hot phase of the carnival, she spoke out in favor of female occupation of the triumvirate previously reserved for men.
"I would like it if there were at least one female prince - but I would find a female triumvirate even better," Reker told the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger" on Monday.
She hopes "that this will become a reality in the coming years".
The prince, the farmer and the maiden, who together form the Cologne triumvirate, are the official regents over the foolish people and figureheads during a session of the Cologne carnival.
The triumvirate was officially used on Friday at the so-called prince proclamation for this year.
It's three men.
"Of course you can think about a female prince, I'm a big fan of freedom of thought," said carnival artist and comedian Bernd Stelter, who spoke at the proclamation in Gürzenich.
What he doesn't want are bans.
"I want to be able to say what I think - so a woman as a prince, why not if you don't forbid the other," said Stelter.
Reker had already caused a stir last year with a statement about the carnival.
At the time, she said she thought the celebrations were questionable given the war in Ukraine.
A few hours after the attack by Russian troops on Ukraine, tens of thousands of costumed revelers celebrated and swayed in Cologne on Weiberfastnacht, and long queues formed in front of pubs in the morning.
"Everyone has to decide for themselves whether this is the right moment to celebrate," said Reker: "I'm not celebrating."
In 2015, before she was elected mayor, Reker narrowly escaped death when a right-wing extremist stabbed her in the neck with a knife.
has/lmd/AFP