Swedish Minister Brings 3-Month-Old Son to EU Ministerial Meeting

A Swedish minister is drawing attention for bringing her infant son to a European Union (EU) ministerial meeting, Reuters and other outlets reported.

Romina Pourmokhtari (30), Sweden's Minister for Climate and the Environment, attended the EU Environment Council meeting held in Luxembourg on June 25 (local time) with her 3-month-old son, Adam, in a baby carrier.

Having recently returned to work after parental leave, she brought her son to demonstrate the benefits of a parental leave system that does not force women to choose between their careers and their families. "I am happy to be an example that you can be a minister and a mother at the same time," she said.

She added, "There are many reasons why Europe is a great place to live, and one of them is the possibility of being able to attend meetings while also taking care of a child."

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

Reuters reported that her husband, who is currently on parental leave to take over childcare duties, also accompanied her on the trip to help care for their son.

An official from the Council of the EU stated that, to their knowledge, this is the first time a baby has attended an EU ministerial meeting.

The EU has been implementing generally mother-friendly policies, such as the European Parliament recently amending its internal rules to allow proxy voting for members who have given birth, in order to ease the burden on female lawmakers.

Ministers from EU member states attending the meeting welcomed the "unexpected guest," with some presenting baby gifts to Minister Pourmokhtari.

Poland's Deputy Minister for Climate and the Environment described the atmosphere, noting that the baby's presence was not an issue at all. "It's a really good thing, not a hurdle. It's just part of life," she told Reuters.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.