The European Parliament overwhelmingly backed a landmark reform to the EU’s electoral law, granting female lawmakers the right to delegate their vote before and after giving birth – a move hailed as a breakthrough for gender equality and democratic representation.
Historic vote in Strasbourg
The European Parliament has approved a change to the EU’s electoral law that will allow women MEPs to delegate their voting rights before and after childbirth.
The reform, passed on Wednesday during a plenary session with 616 votes in favour, 24 against, and eight abstentions, introduces a temporary exemption from the current rule requiring in-person voting.Under the new measure, an MEP will be able to delegate her vote to a trusted colleague for a period beginning three months before the due date and ending six months after the birth.
Parliament’s official statement
“The aim is to strengthen gender equality, democratic representation, and work-life balance – enabling women MEPs to carry out their duties fully while looking after their health and family responsibilities,” the European Parliament said in a statement.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who initiated the reform, said that no female lawmaker should be stripped of her right to vote simply because she has become a mother.
“I will continue to work closely with member states and their parliaments to ensure the smooth ratification of these changes to the electoral law,” Metsola added.
Safeguards on transparency and integrity
The Parliament’s rapporteur, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, said the Council had agreed to the amendments but had also introduced provisions on transparency, traceability, and the integrity of voting – conditions that Parliament has now accepted in order to move forward with final adoption and ratification.
“This is a practical, carefully considered change designed to protect the personal nature of the mandate, while ensuring that motherhood does not force elected representatives to choose between their vote and their child,” López Aguilar said.
The revised EU electoral law must now be formally approved by the Council and ratified by all EU member states.
