Parental leave for MPs in Luxembourg: no regulations in place

“It’s a double sense of guilt,” says Claire Delcourt, a member of parliament for the social democrat LSAP. “On the one hand, I wanted to be with my child. On the other hand, I wanted to fulfil my parliamentary duties,” the mother of two said in an interview with the Luxemburger Wort.

Delcourt is one of several lawmakers who are juggling parenthood and politics, with regular parental leave laws in Luxembourg not applying to members of government and parliament, leaving them largely unprotected.

“Especially in the early days, you want to be there for your child and for your wife,” said Meris Sehovic, an MP for the Greens. At the same time, however, “you have a responsibility towards the state, towards your country and towards the citizens”.

Elisabeth Margue (CSV) last week revealed that she is pregnant with her second child, making her the first sitting cabinet minister to be expecting a baby.

“Because this is my second child, I know what it’s like to be a mother whilst serving as a politician,” the justice minister said in an interview. She gave birth to her first child just four weeks before being sworn in as a member of parliament in October 2022.

For the minister for justice, it is important to show that one can be both a parent and a politician. © Photo credit: Marc Wilwert / LW-Archiv

“Because this is my second child, I know what it’s like to be a mother whilst serving as a politician,” the justice minister said in an interview. She gave birth to her first child just four weeks before being sworn in as a member of parliament in October 2022.

But are better protections needed to encourage younger generations – and women in particular – to enter politics and seek public office?

Flexibility

While there are no official rules, members of parliament enjoy more flexibility than regular employees, said Delcourt, Sehovic and CSV MP Alex Donnersbach.

“You can organise yourself in such a way that you can fulfil your responsibilities as an MP and as a parent,” Sehovic said. Timing is also crucial, Donnersbach said. His child was born last summer. The chamber does not sit during the summer holidays and committee meetings do not resume until September, leaving him more time with his family.

For Carole Hartmann, the flexibility of an MP is important in order to fulfil responsibilities as a parent and as a politician. © Photo credit: Marc Wilwert / LW-Archiv

“You can organise yourself in such a way that you can fulfil your responsibilities as an MP and as a parent,” Sehovic said. Timing is also crucial, Donnersbach said. His child was born last summer. The chamber does not sit during the summer holidays and committee meetings do not resume until September, leaving him more time with his family.

The situation for DP MP Carole Hartmann was different. Her daughter was born during the pandemic. Chamber sessions took place via video conferencing. Now her daughter is five years old and she benefits from the flexibility of being an MP.

“Even with the public sessions, parents can organise themselves, as these take place once or twice a month on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday,” Hartmann said.

In addition, MPs don’t need to fear losing their jobs due to a prolonged absence, Delcourt said.

Despite the extra flexibility for both mothers and fathers, the situation is still different for women, the politicians agreed.

“Pregnancy is very difficult on the body; as a man, you don’t have that,” Donnersbach said.

After pregnancy and childbirth, breastfeeding can mean an additional responsibility and strain for the mother, said Sehovic, who stayed at home for two weeks after the birth of his child to focus on his family.

“As a woman, people could tell I was pregnant. That doesn’t happen to an MP who has become a father,” Delcourt said.

Legal loophole

“There is a legal loophole,” according to the Chamber of Deputies’ 2024 research paper on pregnant or breastfeeding women holding political office. There are no established rules at the local level either.

According to the chamber’s procedures, absent MPs may transfer their vote to colleagues by proxy. This does not apply for votes amending Luxembourg’s constitution.

Members of parliament may also be replaced in committees. In Luxembourg, however, a medical certificate is required for a prolonged absence, according to the paper.

For Delcourt, this meant she could only declare herself as “sick” to excuse her absence to the Chamber of Deputies.

“That made me so angry! I had become a mother and had to sign a form stating that I was ill and therefore absent,” said the LSAP MP. Delcourt was in the chamber just three days before giving birth. After the birth of her child last summer, she was absent for six weeks.

The lack of breastfeeding rooms is another issue that bothered her. “I was told I could use an empty office to breastfeed or pump milk,” she said. She preferred to leave the chamber building and do this in her own office, where she had more privacy, but this meant losing time.

Sam Tanson, an MP for déi Gréng, wants the legal loophole regarding parental leave in parliament to be closed. © Photo credit: Marc Wilwert / LW-Archiv

While absences can be excused and committee members replaced, it is significantly easier for large groups in parliament to step in for an absent colleague, said Sehovic and Sam Tanson, who also sits in parliament for déi Gréng.

“If there are three or four of you on a committee, one absence carries less weight,” Sehovic said. The Greens hold four seats in parliament.

Hartmann, too, said that parties with more MPs can be represented more easily. The DP has 14 seats in parliament.

A different rule applies to ministers in the event of absence. According to the government’s rules of procedure, a “délégation de signature”, i.e. power of attorney, is granted for absences of more than 21 days. This is also the approach Justice Minister Margue intends to take before and after the birth of her child.

Furthermore, ministers can stand in for one another. As the CSV minister shares two posts with Prime Minister Luc Frieden (CSV), he could stand in for her in these roles, Margue confirmed to the Wort. In addition to serving as justice minister, Margue is the minister delegate for media and connectivity as well as for relations with parliament.

Should there be a framework in Luxembourg?

Donnersbach and Hartmann – of the majority coalition parties DP and CSV – don’t see a need to change the rules. The flexibility to stand in for one another and have colleagues vote on one’s behalf by proxy is sufficient for them.

Hartmann, however, would like to see parliament become more family-friendly. Until recently, she took her daughter to school in the mornings. This is no longer possible since committee meetings were moved to 8:30.

Members of the opposition, however, disagree.

“A woman who has just become a mother is told she has to sort it out herself,” said Tanson in an interview with Wort. She would like to see a structured framework for parental leave in parliament, but sees little consensus for this.

“We should have a discussion to create a framework,” said Margue, with talks at national but also local council level.

It is important to provide politicians who become mothers or fathers with the means to continue their mandate during a time when they are less available, she said. At present, it is left to the individual to decide how to balance parental leave with their political responsibilities.

A framework would aim to make it easier for people with young children or who wish to have children to enter politics, the justice minister said, who also wants to show that it is possible to be both a politician and a parent. “It must become the norm,” she said.

Margue also hopes that more efforts will be made regarding breastfeeding rooms in the chamber.

How things are in other countries

In many Scandinavian countries, maternity and parental leave are regulated differently than in Luxembourg, often on the basis of internal regulations rather than national law.

In Denmark, for example, parental leave rights for MPs are laid down in the parliament’s rules of procedure, a comparison listed in the Luxembourg chamber’s research paper shows. MPs can apply for leave of up to 12 months if they are pregnant or have given birth to or adopted a child.

In Germany, parental leave for members of the Bundestag and ministers is also regulated internally. When federal housing minister Verena Hubertz (SPD), who hails from Trier, became a mother for the first time in January 2026, parliamentary state secretaries stood in for her during her absence.

In Sweden, MPs are regarded as employees and have the same entitlements as other workers. This is set out in Sweden’s Parental Leave Act. Parental leave can amount to up to 240 days per parent.

Female MPs can start their parental leave from 60 days before the expected date of birth. During this time, their parliamentary duties and responsibilities can be taken over by a deputy. Sweden’s MPs can bring their young children to plenary sessions. Furthermore, there are special rooms in Sweden for breastfeeding and expressing milk.

(This story was first published by the Luxemburger Wort. Translated using AI, edited by Cordula Schnuer.)