Baby goes to parliament
The photos amused the whole world: a pink-clad baby is lying on a desk wide-eyed while her mom speaks to a microphone and raises her hand to vote on critical European issues. I found them pretty cool. Hanne Dahl, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) reported for duty on Thursday in Strasbourg, France with her baby. She casted her votes on some European Union issues during the parliamentary meeting with little Gaia on the tiny desk in front of her. MEPs can be likened to the British MP’s or US representatives but at the European level.
39-year old Dahl has been an MEP since May 2008. She was born in Denmark but spent part of her childhood in Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore). According to her political party profile, she is married with two kids. Judging from the age of the baby Gaia, she must be the youngest of the two and must have been born after she was elected as MEP. This also means that Dahl was pregnant when she assumed the MEP position last year.
People are speculating whether Dahl was trying to make a statement with her actions considering, that 2 weeks ago, she criticized the parliament for not allowing MEPs to go on maternity leave. However, she denied this, stating that the reason she had to take her baby to work was the fact that her husband (who normally babysits) has to fly back to Denmark at short notice.
MEPs who become pregnant during their terms cannot go on maternity leave but have to step down from their position if they want to spend time with their babies. They are also not allowed to come back. In the coming week, Dahl declared she will put forward a proposal to allow MEPs, female or male, take parental leave.
I really admire the Scandinavians’ pragmatic approach to career and motherhood. In Western Europe, they are the most progressive when it comes to maternity/parental leave and childcare. Dahl adds “In Denmark we have a very relaxed attitude towards breastfeeding in public, and the same ought to be the same here.” There was no report of any breastfeeding or nappy changing or baby crying during the parliamentary session.
What is also interesting is that aside from being a mom, wife, and politician, Dahl is also a preacher. She is known in the parliament as “a diligent debater and a writer on EU related matters.” She specialises in democratic issues and centralization of the EU but is also a great supporter of worthy environmental issues.
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