Swedish Minister Brings Her 3-Month-Old Son to EU Ministerial Meeting... Colleagues Respond

Swedish Climate and Environment Minister Returns to Work After Parental Leave

A Swedish minister drew attention by bringing her 3-month-old son to a European Union (EU) ministerial meeting.

According to foreign media outlets such as the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 25th (local time), Romina Pourmokhtari, 30, Sweden’s Minister for Climate and the Environment, attended the EU Environment Ministers’ meeting held in Luxembourg that day, carrying her 3-month-old son Adam in a baby carrier.

Having recently returned to work after completing her parental leave, she explained that she brought her son to highlight the advantages of the parental leave system, which allows women to avoid having to choose between work and home life. She said, "(Between work and childcare) I wanted to set an example that it is not necessary to choose one or the other." An official from the EU Council noted that this was the first time a baby had attended an EU ministerial meeting.

On the 25th (local time), Romina Pourmokhtari, Sweden's Minister for Climate and the Environment, brought her three-month-old son to the EU meeting held in Luxembourg. YouTube channel 'NBC News'

Recently, the European Parliament has strengthened maternal-friendly policies, such as amending internal regulations to allow proxy voting for lawmakers who have given birth, in order to ease the burden on female members. Minister Pourmokhtari stated, "These policies create tremendous value that should never be underestimated," and added, "While that value may not always be economic, ultimately it can translate into economic value by reducing the number of workers worn out from trying to balance work and family."

Krzysztof Bolesta, Deputy Minister of Climate of Poland, said that the baby's attendance at the meeting was not an issue at all. He remarked, "It is truly a wonderful thing," and added, "A child is not an obstacle, but simply a part of life."

Meanwhile, Minister Pourmokhtari, whose father sought political asylum from Iran to Sweden, became the youngest minister in Swedish history when she was appointed head of the Ministry of Climate and the Environment at the age of 26 in 2022.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.