On Thursday 13 November, the European Parliament adopted the proposal to amend the European electoral act in order to introduce a provision presented as the equivalent of maternity leave for female members of the assembly. Currently, pregnant MEPs or those who have recently given birth have no alternative to compulsory voting other than absenteeism, with all the potentially negative consequences that either option entails. In some cases, political pressure may encourage a rapid return to work, even though under this legislature a single vote can sometimes tip the outcome. The proposed arrangement allows for proxy voting during plenary sessions for a maximum period of three months before the expected date of birth of their child and for a maximum period of six months after the birth. This maximum period allows the arrangement to be adapted to each personal situation.
Introducing such a measure has long been a demand of the European Parliament. As Vice-President of the European Parliament and Vice-President of the high-level group on gender equality and diversity, Sophie Wilmès has worked to advance this dossier, notably by integrating it into the institution's Gender Equality Action Plan 2025-2030.
Sophie Wilmès: “Admittedly, this dossier concerns the internal workings of Parliament, which is less tangible for the general public. But beyond its limited scope, this dossier is a universal symbol for equality and, above all, for better reconciliation between private and professional life, particularly for women, a cause I have championed with conviction for years. Several options were on the table. Temporary replacement by a substitute clashed with the different electoral realities in the Member States. The idea of remote voting was also considered for a time, but it would have maintained the mental and organisational burden weighing on women who have recently become mothers. I am therefore pleased that the proposal puts forward the solution of proxy voting, which is simpler and more effective. If this amendment is limited to maternity today, it is in the hope of circumventing the existing deadlocks around a broader reform of European electoral law, which is currently stuck in the Council. In principle, all the conditions are met to easily secure a majority on this point for swift implementation. We will continue to push in this direction, in every possible forum.”