European Parliament advances proxy voting for pregnant members

Political life may soon be reconciled with the responsibilities of motherhood within the European Parliament (EP) if all 27 member states approve proxy voting for pregnant and postpartum members.

Key Takeaways:

• If the 27 member states in the Council of the EU approve it and also ratify the change, proxy voting rights for MEPs would allow pregnant and pospartum members of the European Parliament to delegate their votes without being physically present in the chamber.

• This policy would apply both before birth and after for six months.

• The proposal is being celebrated as a pro-family shift in European policy.

The Details:

In mid-November 2025, the European Parliament overwhelmingly approved a milestone proposal permitting pregnant Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to delegate their plenary votes for up to three months before their due date, and six months after birth, thus acknowledging the demands of motherhood. For pro-life advocates, this move indicates a pro-family shift in EU policy and a promising step towards affirming the importance of motherhood. 

Elaborating on the voting outcome, the EP website stated: 

The legislative proposal, drafted by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, was adopted by show of hands. The accompanying resolution received 605 votes in favour and 30 against, with five abstentions.

The initiative to table the bill for voting, proposed by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), was meant to tackle the phenomenon of pregnant MEPs or new mothers being absent for voting owing to child caregiving duties, potentially denting their constituents' representation.  

Zoom In:

According to the new rules, MEPs with child caregiving needs can nominate a proxy from their political group to vote in plenary sessions, ensuring continuity while honoring the physical realities of pregnancy and postpartum recovery. This targeted change applies only during late pregnancy and early motherhood, balancing the principle of personal voting with practical support for life-giving roles.

President Roberta Metsola, who initiated the amendments earlier in 2025, supported the reform, stating:

I am proud of our House’s work on this landmark proposal. As a politician and a woman, I can only hope that the member states will agree with us that the modernization of our voting rules is long overdue - and do everything they can to bring the European Parliament’s rules up to speed with the 21st century. No woman should have to choose between serving her voters and having children.

Rapporteur Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES), echoed Metsola’s sentiments.

No elected representative should ever have to choose between their vote and their child. Introducing proxy voting for MEPs on maternity leave strengthens democratic representation and ensures that voters’ voices continue to be heard in the months before and after childbirth. This measure also gives fresh momentum to the ongoing, ambitious reform of the Electoral Act and supports our broader goal of promoting gender equality and work–life balance by encouraging parents to participate fully in political life.

However, some denounced the proposed amendment. For example, Irmhild Boßdorf (of Alternative für Deutschland) declared that pregnancy was “not an illness,” and that pregnant MEPs could fulfill their democratic duties until the last minute. Boßdorf added that those who had tabled it “should be ashamed.” 

Following the successful EP vote, this amendment will head to the Council of the EU for debate and approval by all 27 member states. After that, each member state’s national parliament must ratify the change as per its own procedures before the proxy voting rights for MEPs during and after pregnancy can materialize. 

The Bottom Line:

If the Council of EU approves the amendment, similar accommodations elsewhere in other governing bodies could follow suit, showing that supporting mothers can boost instead of obstruct governance. In a political landscape often polarized by life issues, the near-unanimous backing — despite minor opposition — showcases motherhood's persistent and unifying appeal.