Sittings · Document

Draft report (2025/2195(INL)) 2025-10-17

Amendment of the European Electoral act, allowing Members to vote in plenary by proxy voting during pregnancy and after giving birth

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

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Amendment 1

Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas the reform of the European Parliament's electoral procedure should aim to enhance the democratic dimension of European elections, improve the functioning of the European Parliament and the governance of the Union, make the work of the European Parliament more legitimate and efficient, and provide for greater electoral equality for citizens of the Union;

C. whereas the reform of the European Parliament's electoral procedure should aim to enhance the democratic dimension of European elections, improve the functioning of the European Parliament and the governance of the Union, make the work of the European Parliament more legitimate and efficient, foster electoral participation and representation of under-represented and vulnerable groups, and provide for greater electoral equality for citizens of the Union;

Or. en

Amendment 2

Sandro Gozi, Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of gender equality by promoting the participation of mothers in politics;

D. whereas work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of gender equality by promoting the participation of all parents in public life and in politics;

Or. en

Amendment 3

Tobiasz Bocheński

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of gender equality by promoting the participation of mothers in politics;

D. whereas work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of equality between women and men by promoting the participation of mothers in politics;

Or. en

Amendment 4

Tobiasz Bocheński

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas Members of the European Parliament exercise their mandate personally and any derogation allowing proxy voting should be strictly limited so as not to undermine fundamental principles such as the secrecy of the ballot and the personal accountability of Members for their votes;

Or. en

Amendment 5

Sandro Gozi, Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

E a. whereas in its resolution of 4 April 2022 on the Reform of the electoral law of the EU, the European Parliament already proposed the possibility for a temporary replacement of a Member in case of maternity, paternity or parental leave or in case of leave due to a severe illness.

Or. en

Amendment 6

Sandro Gozi, Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Decides to strengthen maternity rules for Members of the European Parliament who wish to continue to carry out their parliamentary duties;

1. Decides to strengthen maternity and paternity rules for Members of the European Parliament who wish to continue to carry out their parliamentary duties;

Or. en

Amendment 7

Sandro Gozi, Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Believes that this reform will allow Members, in the periods immediately before and after becoming mothers, to fully exercise their mandates, improving institutional fairness and inclusion in the European Parliament;

3. Believes that this reform will allow Members, in the periods immediately before and after becoming parents, to fully exercise their mandates, improving institutional fairness and inclusion in the European Parliament;

Or. en

Amendment 8

Sandro Gozi, Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Recital 1

Annex

Amendment

(1) Work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of gender equality by promoting the participation of mothers in politics.

(1) Work-life balance policies should enhance parenthood by promoting the participation of all parents in public life and contribute to the achievement of gender equality by promoting the participation of mothers in politics.

Or. en

Amendment 9

Tobiasz Bocheński

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Recital 1

Annex

Amendment

(1) Work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of gender equality by promoting the participation of mothers in politics.

(1) Work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of equality between women and men by promoting the participation of mothers in politics.

Or. en

Amendment 10

Marieke Ehlers, Ernő Schaller-Baross, Jean-Paul Garraud, Alexandre Varaut

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Recital 1

Annex

Amendment

(1) Work-life balance policies should contribute to the achievement of gender equality by promoting the participation of mothers in politics.

(1) Work-life balance policies should contribute to the participation of mothers in the exercise of their political mandate;

Or. en

Amendment 11

Sandro Gozi, Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Recital 2

Annex

Amendment

(2) The introduction of a system of proxy voting in plenary sessions will allow Members, in the periods immediately before and after becoming mothers, to fully exercise their mandates.

(2) The introduction of a system of proxy voting in plenary sessions will allow Members, in the months immediately before and after becoming parents, to fully exercise their mandates.

Or. en

Amendment 12

Marieke Ehlers, Ernő Schaller-Baross, Jean-Paul Garraud, Alexandre Varaut

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Article 1

Annex

Amendment

Article 1

In Article 6(1) of the Act concerning the election of the Members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, annexed to Council Decision 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom1, the following subparagraph is added:

“By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, a Member who is pregnant or who has recently given birth may have her vote cast by another Member acting as proxy for a maximum period of three months before the estimated date of birth of the child and for a maximum period of six months after the birth.”

“By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, a Member who is pregnant or who has recently given birth (the “principal”) may have her vote cast by another Member of her choice acting as proxy for a maximum period of three months before the estimated date of birth of her child and for a maximum period of six months after the birth. The principal may give binding written voting instructions to the proxy. The principal may revoke the proxy at any time by means of a written notification.”

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1 Council Decision 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom of 20 September 1976 of the representatives of the Member States meeting in the council relating to the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage (OJ L 278, 8.10.1976, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1976/787(1)/oj).

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Or. en

Amendment 13

Tobiasz Bocheński

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Article 1

Annex

Amendment

Article 1

"By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, a Member who is pregnant or who has recently given birth may have her vote cast by another Member of her choice acting as proxy for a maximum period of three months before the estimated date of birth of her child and for a maximum period of six months after the birth. This proxy arrangement shall not apply to votes cast by secret ballot."

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Or. en

Amendment 14

Sabine Verheyen

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Article 1

Annex

Amendment

Article 1

“By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, a Member who is pregnant or who has recently given birth may have her vote cast by another Member acting as proxy for a maximum period of three months before the estimated date of birth of the child, or earlier in the case of a medically certified high-risk pregnancy, and for a maximum period of six months after the birth.”

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Or. en

Amendment 15

Sandro Gozi, Daniel Freund, Nikolas Farantouris

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Article 1

Annex

Amendment

Article 1

“By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, a Member may have their vote cast by another Member acting as proxy for the months immediately before and after the estimated date of birth of their child.”

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Or. en

Amendment 16

Ana Miguel Pedro, Loránt Vincze

Motion for a resolution

Annex – Article 1

Annex

Amendment

Article 1

“By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, a Member who is pregnant or who has given birth may have her vote cast by another Member acting as proxy for a maximum period of two months before the estimated date of birth of the child and for a maximum period of six months after the birth.”

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Or. en