The Assembly on Wednesday approved the creation of a new parental leave, allowing parents each to take up to two extra months to welcome their child.
This “additional maternity leave,” which would be added to the existing maternity leave and paternity leave, is one of the measures in the draft Social Security budget for 2026. It was approved by 288 deputies compared to 15.
The date of entry into force is still debated, the initial text stipulated entry into force for children born or adopted from July 2027. However, an amendment defended by Sarah Legrain (LFI), brought the date forward to 1 January 2026.
“Demographic rearmament”
Announced in January 2024 by President Emmanuel Macron with the aim of “demographic rearmament” in the face of falling birth rates, this leave can be taken by each parent simultaneously or in turn with the other.
“Various factors” explain the decline in birth rates in France, according to Minister Delegate for Equality between Women and Men Aurore Bergé, including “the question of the ability to give both parents more freedom, more rights and more choices. »
The duration of the leave will be one or two months, at the employee’s choice, and can be “split” into two parts of one month each, after the adoption of the transpartisan amendment.
This amendment also stipulates that leave of “at least one month” is not taken simultaneously by both parents, with the specific aim of better dividing tasks, so that the father or other party can spend time alone with the child, and so that the mother can get back the time she has.
The amount of compensation must be determined by decree, the government has indicated that compensation will be given up to 70% of net salary in the first month and 60% in the second month.
Parental leave is maintained
Some lawmakers regretted the measure wasn’t more ambitious. It “responds neither to the social emergency, nor to the equality requirements required by real reform on parental leave”, also criticizing the ecologist Marie-Charlotte Garin, also criticizing the funding announced by the government to enable its implementation: the delay in increasing the family allowance from 14 to 18 years.
“I have a real problem with the fact that we are taking money from parents of older children to fund the entitlements of parents of young children,” said Marie-Charlotte Garin.
This new leave will not replace parental leave, which can be taken until the child is three years old and allows you to receive around 400 euros per month.
