Swedish minister brings 3-month-old son to EU meeting:Delivers speech holding baby, says motherhood should never end a woman’s career

Sweden’s Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari attended a meeting of European Union (EU) climate ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday with her three-month-old son, Adam, in a move that has drawn widespread attention and praise on social media. Videos from the meeting showed Pourmokhtari holding her son while participating in discussions and delivering her speech. She was also seen comforting the baby during the session while continuing to take part in the proceedings. Speaking to Reuters, Pourmokhtari said she intentionally brought her son to the meeting to send a message that women should not be forced to choose between their careers and raising a family. “Becoming a mother should not mean the end of a woman’s career,” she said, adding that women should be able to remain active in public life and professional roles after childbirth. According to an official from the Council of the European Union, it was the first known instance of a child attending a meeting of EU ministers. Move praised on social media The minister’s appearance with her son received widespread appreciation online, with many users describing it as an inspiring example for working mothers and a symbol of balancing professional responsibilities with parenthood. Ahead of the meeting, Pourmokhtari said family-friendly policies in Europe make it easier for parents to balance childcare and work. She also stressed that supportive government policies alone are not enough. “There also needs to be a partner with modern thinking who is willing to share responsibilities,” she said, adding that fathers taking parental leave is now widely accepted in Sweden due to changing social attitudes and the country’s emphasis on shared parenting. Sweden’s youngest minister Pourmokhtari entered Sweden’s Parliament in 2022 and was appointed climate minister the same year, becoming the youngest minister in the country’s history. She recently returned to work after completing her parental leave. Her husband is currently on parental leave until Sweden’s parliamentary elections in September. He accompanied her to Luxembourg and cared for their son during the meeting whenever required. Sweden’s generous parental leave policy Sweden offers one of the world’s most generous parental leave systems, providing parents with approximately 16 months of paid leave following the birth of a child. Under the policy, 90 days of leave are reserved exclusively for the mother and another 90 days for the father. The remaining 300 days can be shared between both parents based on their needs. The reserved leave cannot be transferred. If either parent does not use their allotted quota, it expires. The father’s reserved leave, commonly known as “Dad Months”, is designed to encourage equal participation in childcare. Similar moments in global politics Pourmokhtari joins a growing list of women leaders who have brought young children into public office to highlight the importance of family-friendly workplaces. 2010 – Italy: Italian Member of the European Parliament Licia Ronzulli attended parliamentary sessions with her six-week-old daughter, Vittoria, becoming one of the first lawmakers to participate in debates and voting while holding her baby. 2018 – New Zealand: Then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became the first elected woman prime minister to bring her three-month-old daughter, Neve, to the United Nations General Assembly. Her partner, Clarke Gayford, accompanied her and cared for the child during meetings. 2017 – Australia: Australian Senator Larissa Waters made global headlines after breastfeeding her two-month-old daughter, Alia Joy, while addressing Parliament, shortly after rules were changed to permit breastfeeding inside the parliamentary chamber. ​