The European Parliament has voted to let MEPs delegate their plenary votes for three months before childbirth and six months afterwards. The change passed on Thursday, 12 November, by 578 votes to 25, with four abstentions, allowing members to retain a say in key files while absent.
The measure applies only to plenary sessions. Minutes will identify both the MEP who delegates a vote and the colleague who casts it, the parliament said, to ensure transparency.
Sigrid Friis, a Danish Renew Europe MEP, told EUobserver the change was “well overdue”. She said she had worked until her due date, prompting comments about whether a midwife was needed in parliament. Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a statement in April: “No member should lose her right to vote because of becoming a mother.”
Finnish Green MEP Maria Ohisalo told EUobserver she was “really happy” with the reform. She recalled voting for hours in plenary with her baby after the infant was not eligible for childcare during the first Strasbourg plenary following the birth. An MEP who asked to remain anonymous said some colleagues had been annoyed when she took multiple breaks during trilogue negotiations while caring for her newborn.
Metsola launched the initiative in 2025. It still requires an opinion from the European Commission and approval from the Council before the European Parliament can hold a final vote.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!