The leave of absence only stretches for five weeks, writes Expressen. However, Kullgren hopes that it can be extended for another period, if the Prime Minister approves the application.
But he does not want his decision to be seen as a symbolic act for equality.
There are certainly those who think I want to make a point of it. For me, it's totally irrelevant. This is something I think is important in relation to my child, he says.
Kullgren is the second minister to be granted parental leave. In 2019, it was then Culture Minister Amanda Lind (Green Party) who first used the new rules.
A minister on parental leave is entitled to 90 percent of their salary without a cap. This means 140,400 kronor per month, when 10 percent has been deducted from the ministerial salary of 156,000 kronor. However, a minister does not have a formal right to parental leave.
