European Parliament lawmakers have backed rule changes that would allow MEPs to delegate their vote in plenary sessions from three months before an expected birth until six months after childbirth.
The proposal was approved by 578 votes to 25, with four abstentions, the parliamentary press service informed on Thursday.
Under the plan, an MEP could arrange for another member to vote on their behalf during that period, with the delegation being voluntary and reversible.
Proxy voting would apply only to plenary sittings, not other parliamentary work, and each MEP would be allowed to hold only one delegated vote at a time.
Both the MEP delegating the vote and the member casting it would be named in the minutes of the sitting and in published voting records.
Proxy votes would count towards quorums and voting thresholds — the minimum participation and numbers needed for decisions — as well as majorities.
Any later disagreement by the MEP who delegated their vote would not alter the result, while corrections could be made under existing procedures.
What happens next
Lara Wolters, the Parliament’s rapporteur on the file in the Legal Affairs Committee, said: “Today’s vote is a step towards a more fair and representative parliament, giving women the options they need in modern life.”
She added that she wished similar arrangements were available “for young fathers, or for MEPs adopting children”.
The European Commission must give an opinion and the Council must consent before Parliament can hold a final vote on the change, according to the Parliament.
The provisions would take effect only after all EU member states ratify amendments to the European Electoral Act.
The initiative was launched by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in 2025, and the Council adopted amendments to the European Electoral Act in May 2026 to create the basis for introducing proxy voting.
