Female MEPs on maternity leave now vote by proxy.

Pregnant MEPs and new mothers are no longer required to relinquish their mandates for several months. A reform of the European Parliament's rules of procedure, approved at the end of April, comes into effect at the plenary session that begins Monday in Strasbourg. The new system allows elected officials to vote by proxy during a defined period: up to three months before their expected delivery date and for six months following the birth of their child.

An absence that deprived him of his mandate

Before this change, any absence due to pregnancy or maternity deprived female Members of the European Parliament of their right to vote in plenary sessions. This situation directly hampered the exercise of their elected mandate, forcing them to choose between their parliamentary duties and their health. Proxy voting puts an end to this inequality by guaranteeing the continuity of their political representation during this sensitive period.

Enhanced equality in Parliament

The mechanism adopted by the European Parliament concretely strengthens the voting rights of elected women by taking into account the constraints related to maternity. This progress is in line with the principle of equality among MEPs and responds to a demand made for several years by female elected officials from various political groups. France currently has 81 MEPs, a significant proportion of whom are women likely to be affected by this new rule.