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A new voting rule for MEPs on maternity leave

This month, the European Parliament voted to start the legislative process to amend rules for voting in direct elections to the European Parliament.

Under the proposed rules, MEPs who are in late pregnancy or on maternity leave would be able to delegate their vote to another MEP. This would apply for up to three months before the expected birth and six months after childbirth.

The proposal emphasizes that balancing professional and private life “should support gender equality by allowing mothers to fully participate in political life.”

It also notes that proxy voting “will allow MEPs, during periods directly before and after childbirth, to fully exercise their mandate.”

“This reform aims to strengthen maternity provisions, letting MEPs carry out their duties while maintaining a balance between health, family responsibilities, and parliamentary work,” the statement adds.

The legislative proposal, drafted by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, was approved last week with support from all political groups. The accompanying resolution passed with 605 votes in favor, 30 against, and 5 abstentions.

Juan Fernando López Aguilar, MEP for the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and the rapporteur, commented:
“We finally have the chance to allow pregnant MEPs to exercise their parliamentary voting rights before and after childbirth. This is the right step in the right direction.”

Broad support, few opponents

Even the far-right largely agreed on the need to allow proxy voting for MEPs on maternity leave.

“MEPs have a democratic duty to represent their voters. The aim of this amendment is simple: to ensure that they can continue to perform their mandate, even during pregnancy,” said Marieke Ehlers, MEP for the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV).

The reform introduces “a temporary, clearly defined proxy voting system,” noted Tobiasz Bocheński, offering a practical solution that respects the realities of motherhood while maintaining institutional integrity.

PiS MEPs praised the measure as a “reasonable modernization of the law, improving working conditions and work-life balance for parliamentarians while respecting national traditions and EU principles. It also promotes equal opportunities for women in politics practically, without unnecessary complications.”

The only political group openly opposed was the Europe of Sovereign Nations. German AfD MEP Irmhild Boßdorf argued:
“Pregnancy is not a disease. Pregnant women, including MEPs, are fully capable of exercising their democratic rights until delivery and beyond. Any decision about when and where to return to work is entirely theirs.”

Next steps

For the amendment to take effect, it must be unanimously approved by the European Council (heads of EU states and governments) and then ratified by national parliaments in all 27 EU countries.

Setting an example for national parliaments

The European Parliament stressed that introducing proxy voting aims to enhance institutional fairness and serve as a model for national parliaments.

Currently, only Spain, Greece, and Luxembourg allow maternity-related remote voting. Other EU countries have patchy or no regulations.

Without such rules, female MEPs may risk miscarriage or other serious health consequences to participate in key votes. Ratification by national parliaments could revive debate on this issue.

Fifteen years ago, the stakes were painfully clear in Italy. During a no-confidence vote against Silvio Berlusconi’s government, three pregnant opposition MPs — Giulia Cosenza, Giulia Bongiorno, and future EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini — attended despite high-risk pregnancies. One was brought in on a wheelchair, another by ambulance, and Mogherini even went while close to her due date. She reportedly told her party leader just hours before:
“I’ll come vote… if my water doesn’t break.”

Fortunately, all three emerged unharmed, but the situation highlighted the need for better maternity protections in politics.

What about fathers?

The debate also raised the question of extending proxy voting to fathers so they can be present at childbirth. Liberals and Greens argued in favor.

“This is a good step for mothers, but I believe it should apply to both parents,” said German Green MEP Daniel Freund.

Sandro Gozi, Italian MEP for the Democratic Movement, added that both parents today share childcare responsibilities equally. He criticized right-wing MEPs who opposed the idea.

However, Loránt Vincze of the European People’s Party argued that childbirth is something only women experience, and the amendment should not be extended to fathers. López Aguilar noted that while he personally supports including fathers, most EU Member States in the Council would likely reject it.

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