In a vote on Thursday, Parliament launched the legislative procedure to amend the European Electoral Act.
Under the proposed rules, an MP who is pregnant or has recently given birth to a child will be able to delegate her vote in plenary session to another MP for a period ranging from three months before the birth to six months after it. This specific reform aims to strengthen provisions regarding maternity, allowing MPs to continue to fully exercise their mandate, while reconciling their health and family responsibilities with their parliamentary duties.
The legislative proposal, drawn up by the Constitutional Affairs Committee, was adopted by a show of hands. The accompanying resolution was adopted by 605 votes in favor, 30 votes against and 5 abstentions.
Citations
Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who spearheaded the review process, said: “I am proud of the work our Parliament has done on this historic proposal. As a politician and a woman, I can only hope that member states will agree with us that the modernization of our voting rules is long overdue, and that they will do everything possible to bring Parliament’s rules into line with the times. Women should not have to choose between serving their constituents and having children.”
Reporter Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES) said: “No elected representative should ever have to choose between their vote and their child. The introduction of proxy voting for MEPs on maternity leave strengthens democratic representation and ensures that voters’ voices continue to be heard in the months before and after the birth of a child. This measure also gives new impetus to the ongoing ambitious electoral law reform and supports our broader goal promoting equality between women and men and work-life balance, by encouraging parents to participate fully in political life.”
A recording of the press conference given by President Roberta Metsola and rapporteur Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, Spain) following the vote in plenary is available on the Parliament’s multimedia center website.
Next steps
The legislative proposal will now be submitted to the Council for unanimous approval by Member States. If it is modified, the new proposal will have to be approved by more than half of the sitting deputies. Finally, for the new rules to come into force, all EU countries will have to approve them in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.
Context
This reform is part of Parliament’s wider commitment to gender equality, inclusion and work-life balance, by encouraging the participation of mothers in politics. By formalizing proxy voting, Parliament seeks to improve institutional fairness and set an example for national legislatures, ensuring that parental responsibilities do not prevent elected representatives from contributing effectively to the legislative process. Currently, only three EU countries (Spain, Greece and Luxembourg) have adopted formal provisions allowing parliamentarians to vote by proxy for maternity-related reasons.
