Finnish Defense Minister Takes Paternity Leave Amid Country’s NATO Bid

The Finnish authorities previously have lamented that Finns make too little use of their paternity leave. Defense Minister Anti Kaikkonen's step can therefore be presented as an example to follow, even as it comes in a potentially decisive moment for the country’s NATO bid.

Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen will take nearly two months of paternity leave early next year amid his country’s bid to join NATO, becoming the first cabinet minister to take such as long break from official responsibilities..

“Children are only little for a moment, and I want to remember it in more than just photographs,” Kaikkonen tweeted, explaining his decision.

Kaikkonen announced the birth of his second child in July. His decision has been welcomed by the authorities, as Finland has in recent years emphasized the importance of shared responsibility between parents. The move was also praised and “proudly supported” by his own Center Party.

So far, several ministers have taken maternity leave during their stints in the current government, with Kaikkonen becoming the first male to go on paternity leave. The authorities previously have lamented that paternity leave is not used widely enough despite some 80 percent of Finnish dads taking at least some amount of it. Kaikkonen's step can therefore be presented as an example to follow. Finland's neighbors Norway and Sweden have even introduced the so called Father's quota, which reserves a part of parental leave periods for fathers alone. If the father does not take the leave, the family loses it.

Antti Kaikkonen is very popular in the Finnish Center party, and many see him as its future chairman and even a potential future leader of the country. The parental leave is likely to further boost his image among those in favor of equality.

In the meantime, Kaikkonen’s portfolio will be taken care of by party mate Mikko Savola, as the initial proposal for Economic Affairs Minister Mika Lintila to temporarily occupy two posts fell flat.

This job swap occurs as Finland’s efforts to join NATO enter their final phase. Earlier this year, Finland and Sweden both dropped decades of military non-alignment and scrambled to become members of the alliance, citing Russia’s special operation in Ukraine and the ensuing “security situation” as a pretext for this move.

So far, all 30 Nato member states except Hungary and Turkey have ratified Finland’s accession, which requires unanimous approval. The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, said in November that the country would approve Finland and Sweden’s accession to Nato next year.

Turkey, by contrast, has demanded that the two Nordic countries take a tougher stance on Kurdish militants it considers terrorists as a pretext for backing their bids.