Swedish minister brings baby to EU meeting in bloc first

A Swedish government minister brought her baby to an European Union council meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday (25 June) in a first for the bloc.

Climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari brought her son, Adam, to the meeting to highlight the benefits of parental leave policies, which don't force women to choose between work and family responsibilities.

According to an EU council official, it was the first time, to the institution's knowledge, that a baby had joined a meeting of EU ministers.

Ms Pourmokhtari, 30, has just returned from parental leave. Her husband, who travelled with her to Luxembourg to care for Adam, is on leave until Sweden's election in September.

Sweden's high taxes fund one of the world's most generous parental leave policies. Parents receive around 16 months of paid leave, of which 90 days are offered to each parent on a "use it or lose it" basis.

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