Politician Reported To Youth Welfare Office After Drinking Beer While Breastfeeding Baby

An Austrian politician has been reported to the youth welfare office for drinking beer while breastfeeding her baby during a council meeting.

And despite the beer being alcohol-free, 38-year-old Janine Bex’s colleagues apparently did not appreciate the sight of a breastfeeding mum enjoying a cold one during a municipal council meeting in Innsbruck, Austria.

One of her colleagues, named as Gerald Depaoli, reportedly shouted: “Women with children have no place in the municipal council:”

Bex, a municipal councillor in Innsbruck since 2018, told local media that hops help stimulate milk flow, but her explanations fell on deaf ears, with voices being raised and her little one beginning to cry.

Bex said: “My little one started crying at the noise, and I suddenly had tears in my eyes too. I wanted to justify myself, but was shouted down.”

Austrian media reported that there are neither maternity leave nor parental leave policies for politicians, leaving Bex with little choice other than to take her child to work with her or give up her career in politics.

Bex said that it was not even the first time that Depaoli has reported her to the youth welfare office. She said: “This is the second time, the first report was dropped.”

And she has called on women to stand strong on the matter, saying: “Women, come into politics, don’t put up with it.”