Rachida Dati is an interesting woman: she is the first senior minister of North African origin, she has enjoyed an accelerated and controversial rise to her position as Justice Minister and was the subject of many gossip columns due to her 'mysterious' pregnancy.

What the papers are excited about now is Dati's speedy return to work five days after the birth of her daughter, Zohra.

Whilst some french magazines have applauded her vitality and particularly, how slender she looks, the majority of views expressed are resolutely critical of her "wanting to play superwoman".

As a nation with a cultural emphasis on the family and motherhood, the French press is busy heaping guilt on her decision to abandon her newborn in favour of her ministerial duties, whilst the British press are speculating that fear over losing her job has driven her back to work.

The question is; why is her decision so scandalous?

I don't remember anyone commenting on how soon Gordon Brown was back at work after his baby was born! Society has rigid ideals about what it means to be a good mother and 'woe betide' any public figure if they step outside of this norm. But wouldn't she have been equally criticised for neglecting her role in government during a major judicial reform?

Yes, Rachida Dati is an important role model as a talented, female politician from an unprivileged background but isn't it her business what kind of mother she is?

Companies face similar moral dilemmas with their staff: to what degree should women be implicitly encouraged to come back to work a.s.a.p.? If a business recruits 50% women, what will they do if they all take maternity leave?

These are real questions that won't go away but we can at least remove gender as much as possible from childcare policy and give couples more flexibility about how they care for baby - after all it is a bit unfair that men don't have the same options as women to take time to look after their infants.

As a dynamic, influential politician, I don't think there is anything wrong with Dati's decision to attend a reform meeting soon after giving birth - as with any work-life balance issue, what is important is her right to choose. And as her fellow politician said in her support "you don't have to be menopausal to be a minister".