The right to vote by proxy during pregnancy and after childbirth
Parliament has launched an amendment to the European Electoral Act to bring parliamentary practice into line with the realities of parenthood. Under the proposed rules, a female MEP will be able to transfer her vote to another MEP up to three months before her due date and then for six months afterwards.
The aim is to solve a long-standing problem - until now, female MEPs have not been able to vote during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth, which in practice meant that their constituents lost representation. The proposal is intended to prevent women from having to choose between their personal health and the exercise of their mandate.
The change is part of a wider effort by Parliament to strengthen gender equality, the working conditions of elected representatives and the responsiveness of institutions to parents. Across the EU today, only Spain, Greece and Luxembourg have full-fledged mechanisms for voting during maternity - the European Parliament wants to set an example for others.
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