On 18 November 2025, the French National Assembly voted in favour of creating a new birth leave as part of the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) for 2026. The measure marks an important step forward for families in France and a major advocacy success for UNAF (Union nationale des associations familiales), a member organisation of COFACE Families Europe, which has been calling for this reform for more than ten years.
The new birth leave will complement existing maternity leave, paternity leave and leave for the welcoming of a child. It will be better compensated than the current parental leave scheme, which will be maintained, in line with UNAF’s long-standing demands.
According to the parameters currently proposed, the leave would last two months per parent, with compensation set at 70 percent of net salary initially, followed by 60 percent. UNAF has welcomed this as a positive first step, while stressing that the scheme needs to be strengthened to ensure coverage of a child’s entire first year, particularly for single-parent families who will not be able to share the leave.
UNAF is also calling for the new leave, currently planned to enter into force in July 2027, to be implemented earlier, from 2026. The organisation points out that the estimated €300 million cost for the first year could be covered by the family branch of the social security system without the need for savings measures.
The text will now move to the French Senate, offering a further opportunity to improve the proposal so that it better responds to families’ needs.
