'Wanted To Be An Example': Swedish Minister Romina Pourmokhtari Brings Baby To EU Meeting

Last Updated:June 26, 2026, 22:37 IST

Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari brings her three-month-old son Adam to EU climate talks in Luxembourg, highlighting Sweden's parental leave and work family balance.

European Union ministers meeting in Luxembourg for marathon talks on climate policy on Thursday were greeted by an unexpected attendee at the negotiating table: a three-month-old baby.

Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari brought her son, Adam, to a meeting of EU ministers.

Three-Month-Old Baby Joins EU Climate Talks

According to an EU Council official, it was the first time a baby had attended a gathering of EU ministers. Pourmokhtari said she wanted to send a message that women should not have to choose between pursuing a career and raising a family.

“I wanted to showcase being an example of not having to make that choice. Which, of course, also requires having a partner that’s not a dinosaur, someone who’s quite modern and up for it to tag along," Pourmokhtari told Reuters.

The 30-year-old minister, who became Sweden’s youngest cabinet member when she took office in 2022, recently returned from parental leave. Her husband, currently on leave until Sweden’s elections in September, accompanied her to Luxembourg to care for their son during the meeting.

Parental Leave Systems In Sweden

Sweden offers one of the world’s most generous parental leave systems, providing parents with around 16 months of paid leave. Under the policy, 90 days are reserved exclusively for each parent and cannot be transferred, a measure designed to encourage fathers to take a more active role in childcare.

Pourmokhtari credited these policies, along with support from her staff, for making it easier for her family to balance work and parenting responsibilities. She also urged governments to adopt more flexible leave-sharing arrangements and improve access to affordable childcare.

“It’s creating a lot of value that shouldn’t be underestimated. Value that might not always be economic — but in the end, might also be economic, in not having burnt-out workers," she said.

Krzysztof Bolesta, Poland’s Deputy Climate Minister, welcomed the baby’s presence at the meeting, saying, “I think it’s great…It’s not a handicap, it’s just a part of life," he told Reuters.

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Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish...Read More

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