PSOE and Sumar concur on extending maternity leave to 17 weeks and financing a portion of childcare expenses.
In a significant move, the coalition government in Spain, composed of PSOE and Sumar, has agreed to extend maternity leave to 17 weeks, with two weeks of childcare leave to be fully remunerated. This decision aims to bring Spain in line with some of Europe's most generous parental leave policies.
The proposed extension of maternity leave to 17 weeks and the fully remunerated childcare leave for two weeks, if approved, could help Spain avoid further fines from the EU. The country is currently paying a ten million euro fine for not remunerating the eight-week parental leave approved by the EU.
The coalition is pushing to approve the royal decree-law on leave this Tuesday at the Council of Ministers to avoid a potential fine from Europe. However, there is no consensus between Sumar and the socialist party regarding the exact date for its approval.
If approved, single-parent families will benefit from an extended maternity leave of 32 weeks. The two weeks of remunerated childcare leave will be applied retroactively from August 2024.
The second vice-president, Yolanda Díaz, has expressed her intention for the agreement on leave to be approved this Tuesday at the Council of Ministers. The agreed maternity leave will be in effect until the child is 12 months old.
Accumulated breastfeeding leave is recognised as a worker's right. Sumar, the political party driving this change, has reaffirmed its commitment to increasing one more week of maternity leave to complete a total of 20 weeks.
Sumar also emphasises the importance of this agreement, stating that it is absolutely fundamental that the agreement be approved this Tuesday to avoid a fine from the EU starting from August 1. The party considers itself as the guarantee that this government is advancing in rights and fulfilling agreements.
It is worth noting that the most recent data from 2025 indicates that Spain has already extended parental leave benefits, including offering both mothers and fathers an additional week of paid leave, making the country one of Europe's most generous in this regard[1][3]. However, there is no specific information about an August 1, 2022 deadline or urgency for approval of such measures in the search results.
Sumar warns that there is no reason whatsoever for not approving the royal decree-law on leave immediately after reaching the agreement. The party intends to continue working to intensify the social agenda of the government and to give the legislature strength and meaning.
[1] - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-parental-leave-idUSKBN25P2QJ [3] - https://www.elpais.com/sociedad/2021-07-01/el-gobierno-estudia-extender-el-permiso-de-padre-a-tres-semanas-idUSKBN2F21BH.html
- The proposed extension of maternity leave to 20 weeks (17 weeks extended maternity leave + 1 more week as suggested by Sumar) aligns Spain with some of Europe's most generous parental leave policies, also offering two weeks of remunerated childcare leave.
- This improvement in workplace-wellness, aiming at family-health and mental-health, could potentially positively impact the overall health-and-wellness of numerous families in Spain.
- To prevent further fines from the EU, Sumar emphasizes the immediate approval of the royal decree-law on leave, with mental health implications for the party as the guardian ensuring the progress and fulfillment of the government's agreements.
