We don’t usually hear much about the political initiatives in Lapland. That has changed with the new suggestion by Miikka Keränen, chairman of the Green League (Vihreät) in Rovaniemi.
In a letter published by Lapin Kansa, Keränen explains that one way to make a pause in the middle of the day could be having sex breaks.
Therefore, he recommends city workers to take one-hour breaks to relieve stress by rushing home (or somewhere else) to have a quickie with their spouses or partners.
The idea is not original, in 2017 Per-Erik Muskos, a Swedish councillor from the city of Overtornea, suggested that Swedes should receive one hour of paid time off during the working day to have sex.
Interest attracted nationwide
Keränen's initiative attracted interest nationwide, but also received criticism. Some people think this is proposed to avoid discussing about more important topics for the citizens.
The idea also raises some doubts: How can you make sure that the worker uses that time for sex and not for something else? Another problem is that partners should have the pause break at the same time. And there are many other practical obstacles to make this real.
Keränen keeps defending his idea: “Sex is a good form of exercise, it improves people's relationships, reduces stress, improves sleep quality and strengthens immunity”.
However, he also admits that probably this initiative is not valid for all kind of jobs.
