A first in the EU: Swedish Minister attends meeting with her baby

A surprise guest attended the EU Environment Council meeting held in Luxembourg.

Swedish Minister for Climate and Environment Romina Pourmokhtari attended the meeting with her 3-month-old baby in her arms to highlight the benefits of parental leave policies that do not force women to choose between work and family responsibilities.

In her statement, Pourmokhtari said, "I am happy to be an example of not having to choose between being a minister on duty and a mother on duty. There are many things that make Europe a great place to live. One of them is that we have the opportunity to attend meetings and take care of my child."

An EU official stated that this is the first time a baby has attended an EU ministerial meeting.

30-year-old Pourmokhtari was the youngest minister in Swedish history when she took office in 2022.

Sweden has one of the most generous parental leave policies in the world, financed by the country's high tax system, which has become a subject of political debate in election campaigns. Parents receive a total of approximately 16 months of paid leave. 90 days of this are used separately for each parent. Pourmokhtari recently returned from parental leave. Her husband also came to Luxembourg with Minister Pourmokhtari to look after Adam, as he is on leave until the elections in September.

News Source: İHA