Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari attended an EU Council meeting in Luxembourg this week with her three-month-old son, Adam. EU officials confirmed it was the first time a baby has been present at a meeting of EU ministers.
Pourmokhtari, 30, said she brought her son to highlight that women should not have to choose between family responsibilities and political leadership.
She had recently returned from parental leave and participated in the negotiations while her husband, who is also on parental leave, travelled with her to care for their child during the meeting.
Attention On Sweden’s Parental Leave Policy
The moment also drew attention to Sweden’s parental leave system, which is among the most extensive globally. Parents are entitled to around 16 months of paid leave, with 90 days reserved for each parent individually.
These non-transferable periods, often referred to as “dad months”, are intended to encourage greater involvement of fathers in childcare.
Pourmokhtari said the combination of Sweden’s parental leave framework, support from her team and shared caregiving responsibilities at home made it possible for her to return to work while continuing to care for her child.
She added that supporting working parents requires not only extended leave policies, but also greater flexibility in how leave is shared and improved access to affordable childcare and workplace support.
