Proxy Voting for Female MEPs Before and After Childbirth

The Parliament aims to harmonize plenary voting rules with the actual needs of women MEPs who are mothers, thereby improving gender equality and ensuring mothers can fully participate in political life.

The proposal calls for a targeted amendment to the electoral law, establishing the right to vote by proxy for a period of three months before the estimated date of birth and six months after.

On Thursday, the Parliament initiated the legislative procedure to amend the EU Electoral Act.

Scope and Objectives of the Reform
According to the EP's proposal, an MEP who is pregnant or has recently given birth will be able to delegate her vote in plenary to a colleague for up to three months before the estimated date of birth and six months after childbirth.

This targeted reform is intended to improve maternity arrangements, allowing female MEPs to continue fully exercising their democratic mandate while balancing their family life with their parliamentary duties. The Parliament is promoting equal participation by establishing the right to vote by proxy for pregnant MEPs during the period before and after delivery.

The report, drafted by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, was approved with 605 votes in favour, 30 against, and 5 abstentions.

Official Statements
Roberta Metsola, President of the Parliament
Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who promoted the review process earlier this year, commented:

"I am proud of our Parliament’s work on this landmark proposal. As a politician and a woman, I can only hope that Member States will agree with us that modernising our voting rules is long overdue – and will do everything they can to bring the European Parliament’s rules into the 21st century. No woman should have to choose between fulfilling her duty to her constituents and having children."

Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Rapporteur
The rapporteur, Juan Fernando López Aguilar (Socialists, Spain), stated:

“No elected representative should ever have to choose between their vote and their child. Establishing proxy voting for female MEPs who need to be absent from their duties due to maternity reinforces democratic representation and ensures the voices of voters continue to be heard during the months before and after childbirth. This measure also gives new impetus to the ambitious, overall reform of the electoral law we have proposed and supports our broader goal of promoting gender equality and work-life balance, encouraging parents to participate fully in the political arena.”

Next Steps and Contextual Information
The legislative proposal will now be submitted to the Council, where it must be unanimously approved by the Member States. If amended by the EU Ministers, the new legislation must be approved again by more than half of the serving MEPs. Finally, for the new rules to enter into force, all EU countries must approve them in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.

The reform is part of the European Parliament's broader commitment to gender equality, inclusiveness, and work-life balance, promoting the participation of mothers in politics. By establishing proxy voting, the Parliament seeks to improve institutional fairness and to set an example for national parliaments, ensuring that family obligations do not prevent elected representatives from contributing effectively to the legislative process.

Currently, only three EU countries (Spain, Greece, and Luxembourg) have official provisions providing for alternative voting methods for members of parliament on maternity grounds.