The Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) has approved a proposal allowing Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to exercise their right to vote by proxy during pregnancy and in the months following childbirth.
The proposal, initiated by Roberta Metsola, provides that MEPs may delegate their voting rights to another member up to three months before and six months after the birth of their child. The aim of the measure is to promote gender equality, support family life, and ensure full democratic representation.
As rapporteur Juan Fernando López Aguilar (Socialists, Spain) stated, “No elected representative should have to choose between their vote and their child.” The proposal will be put to a vote in the Plenary on 12–13 November and, if adopted, will be submitted to the Council for unanimous approval by the Member States.
