Pregnant members of the European Parliament will be allowed to delegate their vote during their time off with their newborns in a landmark step for women in politics.

Until now, the European Parliament did not allow online or proxy voting – meaning a delegated vote passed to another member of the parliament.

With the changes approved this week, pregnant women will be able to delegate their vote three months before giving birth and six months afterwards. The motion passed with 605 votes in favor out of the 640 represented in the chamber.

Laura Ballarín, of the S&D, is expecting a child and welcomed the move, arguing that votes can go to the wire and each person matters. She said the move, if applied on time, will allow her to keep representing her constituents.

“I don’t like having to choose between having to recover physically after giving birth and my right to vote,” Ballarín told Euronews. Having a child, she argued, should not represent a setback for women at work.

While the delegated vote has been approved by the European Parliament, it now needs to be approved unanimously by the European Council. Then it will have to be ratified by the national parliaments before it enters into force.

“We must encourage more women to stand for election; we must empower them to take their place at the decision-making table”, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said during a press conference after the vote on Thursday.

Following the European elections in June 2024, the Parliament experienced the biggest percentage drop in female representation since the first direct elections in 1979.

Women now make up 38.5% of MEPs – 277 out of 720 – 2.1% fewer than in the previous legislature.

No amendments on fatherhood

The new rules will apply to women only.

While progressive forces of the parliament tried to include fathers, they had to dial down their initial ambition to reach a compromise with the rest of political forces.

“I had to choose between voting the climate law or seeing my child being born,” German Green MEP Daniel Freund told Euronews. The choice, he argued in the end was clear: his family.

But the predicament raises serious questions.

The European parliament issued last year an EU-wide directive which regulates maternity and parental leave to include both parents. The idea being that maternity leave tends to impact a woman’s career more than it does for a man as the time spent away from work is usually longer.

“In this Parliament, we have legislated on maternity and paternity leave for both and we have introduced that right for all Europeans. We should lead by example,” Freund added.

As for Ballarín, who is expecting her baby early next year, both parents play an important role in bringing up a child.

“Fathers should also be able to stay home with a newborn without skipping their democratic duty,” Ballarín told Euronews, referring to her male colleagues in the chamber.

Unable to reach the hemicycle

Members of the European Parliament must cast their vote in person in Brussels or in Strasbourg, which involves travel for the 720-members of the chamber.

“We need to make sure that if you are physically impeded from travelling to Strasbourg or to Brussels to vote, then you should not lose that right”, said President Metsola.

For the time being, the reform will only apply to pregnancy or birth but doesn’t consider other impediments such as long-term sickness. Online voting was tested during the pandemic and worked during the lockdown phase, but it was not extended beyond.

Some argue the system proved that it possible to vote without being present in the room and could be helpful for MEPs who are suffering from an illness, or physical impediment.