Balancing Care and Commitment: Parenthood and Political Activities in the European Parliament

While the European Parliament (EP) is often seen as a women-friendly institution, with protections against maternity-related dismissal, MEPs still face extensive travel and lack formal parental leave, creating structural barriers for parents—particularly mothers. This study investigates how parenthood shapes political engagement in the EP, asking not only who is represented, but how parenthood influences parliamentary activity. Using a novel dataset covering all MEPs from the 9th legislative term (2019–2024) and drawing on interviews with parent MEPs, the paper develops a typology of parliamentary activities—demanding commitments, core tasks, and independent engagement—to analyse how parents navigate institutional constraints. The findings reveal a nuanced motherhood penalty: mothers remain underrepresented and have fewer children than male MEPs, yet those elected do not withdraw from political work. Instead, they strategically redirect their engagement toward more flexible and autonomous tasks, such as submitting written questions, while maintaining participation in high-profile responsibilities. These results highlight how structural and societal pressures shape not only access to political office but also the ways in which politicians participate, emphasizing the need to integrate parenthood into research on representation and legislative behavior.