Finland's Defence Minister to take 2-month paternity leave amid country's bid to join NATO

Finland's defence minister Antti Kaikkonen would take almost two months of paternity leave early next year amid his country’s bid to join NATO. This move has been praised by the Center party. The party leader and finance minister, Annika Saarikko said, “We proudly support Antti Kaikkonen’s decision.” Further, she added that Kaikkonen would be taking off from work from January 6 until the end of February, reported the Guardian. 

While talking about the announcement made by Finland's defence minister on December 13, Saarikko said, "The opportunity to take and decide on family leave belongs to everyone.” 

The defence minister announced the birth of his second child in July and on Tuesday Kaikkonen announced his paternity leave. While taking it to Twitter, he wrote, " I am going on paternity leave for January-February 6.1. from During that time, the duties of the Minister of Defense will be handled by another person. The security of the homeland will be in good hands at that time as well. Children are only small for a moment, and I want to remember it in ways other than just photos." Kaikkonen said that in his absence MP Mikko Savola would be taking over the Center until the end of February. Further, he said, “Savola has long and wide experience and expertise in defence policy.”  

Antti Kaikkonen announces paternity leave amid NATO bid

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán said that Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO would take place next year. Whereas, Turkey has demanded that both countries must take a tougher stance on Kurdish militants whom it considers terrorists and think of their NATO bid. Only time will tell how Finland will manage its bid for NATO in the absence of its Defence minister Antti Kaikkonen.

In Finland, fathers whose children were born before September 2022 are entitled to 54 days of paternity leave, reported the Guardian. According to the government, around 80% of fathers in Finland have taken some amount of paternity leave. Several female ministers in Finland have taken maternity leave during their stints in the current government and Kaikkonen is the first male minister to go on paternity leave since 1990. In the late 1990s, Paavo Lipponen, who was the then Prime Minister of Finland, had taken paternity leave in a groundbreaking move.