[Magic Number 90%]⑨ Male Lawmaker Who Changed Diapers... 'Gender Neutral' Created by Swedish Politician

Interview with a Father and Lawmaker Who Took Five Parental Leaves
Promoting Low Birthrate Policies Based on Parenting Experience
Sweden's Ruling Party Nominates Equal Number of Men and Women

Olle Thorell, a five-term member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, took parental leave in 2018 when he was a three-term parliamentarian to raise his child. Having had a late child at the age of forty-eight, he wanted to be present for important moments in his son's life. In a recent interview with Asia Economy held at the Stockholm Parliament House, Olle said, "My wife, who is a doctor, took parental leave for the first nine months, and then I spent the next nine months with my son," adding, "Through taking parental leave myself and raising my son, I realized how challenging childcare really is."

Parental leave for members of parliament is reflected in legislation. By personally using parental leave, they identified shortcomings and reformed the system. A representative example is the mandatory paternal parental leave.

Sweden Becomes a 'Gender-Neutral' Society Beyond Gender Equality, Making Paternal Parental Leave Mandatory

Photo by Olle Thorell, a five-term member of the Social Democratic Party, introducing promotional materials he created himself. As a five-term member, Olle creates election promotional materials personally without a private secretary.

Sweden was the first country in the world to introduce parental leave in 1974. However, it was rare for men to take leave because it was recommended rather than mandatory. Therefore, the government made paternal parental leave mandatory starting in 1990. The total parental leave period in Sweden is 480 days, with each parent entitled to 240 days. Of these, 150 days can be transferred to the other parent, but 90 days are non-transferable and are lost if unused. Through this system, Swedish fathers effectively receive about three months of parental leave.

Olle explained, "The reason there is little gap between the laws made by the Swedish Parliament and reality is because the Parliament is perceived as a mirror reflecting Swedish society." He added that since members of parliament are both 'legislators' who make laws and 'representatives of users' who use those laws, discussions do not remain theoretical.

During parental leave in the Swedish Parliament, a 'substitute member' takes over the duties of the member on leave. Each political party maintains a list of substitute members who can perform duties when an incumbent member is absent due to leave or other reasons. While Olle was on parental leave, a substitute member working in the Foreign Affairs Committee took over his duties for nine months, after which Olle returned to his position in the Foreign Affairs Committee.

In South Korea, during the 21st National Assembly, Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party, who gave birth while in office (the third sitting member to do so), was not properly guaranteed parental leave or maternity leave. Although South Korea allows male and female workers who are pregnant or have children under eight years old or in the second grade of elementary school to take up to one year of parental leave under the Gender Equality in Education Act, members of parliament are not considered 'workers' and thus are not eligible for parental leave.

Members of Parliament Need to Experience 'Raising Children is Difficult'... Total Fertility Rate: Sweden 1.52 vs. South Korea 0.78

This difference is reflected in fertility rates. Sweden's total fertility rate (the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime) declined from 1.75 in 2018 to 1.66 in 2020 but rose slightly to 1.67 in 2021. Although it decreased to 1.52 last year, it remains about twice as high as South Korea's 0.78. Considering that fertility rates are declining in most OECD countries, Sweden's performance is regarded as relatively good.

In Sweden, it is common to see fathers pushing strollers in parks during weekday afternoons. Fathers who care for their children while drinking a caf? latte at a caf? are called 'lattepappa.' This is a new social trend brought about by mandatory paternal parental leave. This progress is largely due to parliamentarians like Olle who have been directly involved in childcare activities and have revised and developed laws accordingly. Olle said, "Based on my experience with parental leave, we are continuously improving the Swedish parental allowance insurance and revising related laws as part of ongoing measures to address low birth rates."

The background to Olle's direct involvement in childcare lies in a political culture free of a sense of privilege. There is a social consensus that members of parliament are not an 'elite group' but representatives of the people. Olle said, "In other countries, members of parliament are a 'privileged class.' But in Sweden, the 349 members of parliament are seen as representatives of the entire Swedish society," adding, "They are not viewed as a privileged class."

Looking at the backgrounds of Swedish parliamentarians, before entering parliament, they have held various jobs such as cleaners, drivers, doctors, and teachers. Olle himself was a teacher. After experiencing how racial discrimination affects society during his teaching career, he entered politics to improve the situation. He emphasized, "We are merely 'representatives' of various generations and classes, not a group detached from society," and "As representatives of all walks of life, we consider how to draft laws and, when necessary, consult experts and seek administrative assistance to resolve issues."

46% Female Representation in Swedish Parliament... Social Democrats Nominate Half Women

Sweden, where gender equality has long been established, is regarded as a 'gender-neutral society.' According to Statistics Sweden, women make up 46% of the Swedish Parliament, and as of 2021, women's wages are about 95% of men's wages. This is the result of the Social Democratic Party, which has been in power for over 40 years and built the current 'Swedish-style welfare system,' focusing on gender equality.

In Sweden, all 349 members of parliament are elected through proportional representation. The largest party, the Social Democrats (107 seats, 30.6%), alternates genders when creating candidate lists. For example, if the first proportional representative candidate is male, the second is female, the third male, and so on. Olle said, "The Social Democrats emerged as a party representing workers, advocating for class and gender equality while representing all social strata," adding, "When creating all candidate lists, we always ensure that 50% are women. When recommending chairpersons or leaders, we always recommend one man and one woman."

Thanks to this gender-equal nomination system, gender equality in parliament has been possible, leading to a gender-neutral society. According to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Sweden (0.815) ranked fifth in the world for gender equality, following Iceland (0.912), Norway (0.879), Finland (0.863), and New Zealand (0.856). In contrast, South Korea's gender gap index was 0.680, ranking 105th out of 146 countries. Olle said, "Young parents, as well as those who are divorced and raising children alone, can participate in politics because men and women equally share childcare activities," adding, "If the parliament sets an example by practicing gender equality, companies will follow."

Photo by Olle Thorell, Social Democratic Party member (5-term)

Olle said, "The Social Democrats do not want political experts. They pursue an equal society and emphasize proportionality and representation." Regarding opposing parties that are passive about gender equality and have completely opposite political spectrums, he said, "Although their ideology differs from ours, they are also members of parliament representing the Swedish people," adding, "Since they are representatives elected by the people, I respect them even if their views differ from mine. However, because I want to raise my son in a Sweden where gender equality is expanding, I will continue to cooperate well with other parties."

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