Finland to nominate interim defence minister as incumbent is on parental go away | World News

Finland will appoint an interim defence minister on Thursday, its authorities stated, after the serving minister introduced he was taking two months off to take care of his 6-month-old child son.

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Defence minister Antti Kaikkonen, 48, grew to become Finland's first male minister to take parental go away when he took two weeks off in 2020 after the start of his eldest son.

The change of defence minister falls in the course of Finland's bid to affix the western army alliance NATO, held again by Turkish reluctance to simply accept Finland's and neighbouring Sweden's memberships however Kaikkonen stated Finland's security can be "in good fingers" in his absence.

"Kids are small for a second solely and I need to keep in mind that additionally in different methods than simply from footage," Kaikkonen wrote on Twitter when he introduced the plan in December.

As Finnish legislation doesn't recognise parental go away for ministers, Kaikkonen has to resign from his place, solely to be re-appointed when he returns to workplace in March.

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In his absence, lawmaker Mikko Savola will likely be appointed Minister of Defence, the federal government stated.

This marks the sixth time a minister has taken parental go away for the reason that ruling centre-left coalition got here to energy in 2019, with 4 feminine ministers on maternity leaves of varied lengths whereas in workplace.

The federal government, led by Social Democrat Sanna Marin who grew to become the world's youngest serving Prime Minister when she took workplace at 34 in 2019, has sought to advertise gender equality in Finland.

In 2020, the federal government determined to almost double the size of paid paternal go away to nearly seven months, according to maternity go away. Round half will be given to the opposite father or mother.