Swedish Climate Minister Brings Infant to EU Council Meeting, Setting New Precedent

Ministers from EU governments gathered for a lengthy discussion on climate‑change policies on Thursday, encountering an unexpected participant at the negotiating table: a three‑month‑old baby.

Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari brought her three‑month‑old son, Adam, to the EU Council meeting in Luxembourg to illustrate the advantages of parental‑leave policies that avoid forcing parents—particularly women—to choose between career and family.

“I wanted to show that it is possible not to have to choose between work and family. Of course, this also requires a partner who is not a ‘dinosaur’—someone who is modern and willing to join us,” said Pourmokhtari.

An EU Council official confirmed that, to the institution’s knowledge, this was the first occasion a baby had attended a meeting of EU ministers.

At 30, Pourmokhtari became Sweden’s youngest minister when she assumed office in 2022. She has recently returned from parental leave, and her husband, who is on leave until Sweden’s September election, travelled with her to Luxembourg to care for Adam. Sweden offers one of the world’s most generous parental‑leave schemes, funded through its high‑tax system, and the policy has become a contentious issue in the upcoming election campaign.

Parents are entitled to approximately 16 months of paid leave in total. Of this, 90 days are reserved exclusively for each parent and cannot be transferred to the other. Any unused days are forfeited.

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