PARIS: France on Wednesday launched new paid leave for both mothers and fathers, as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to boost the country's sluggish birth rate.
In 2024, Macron unveiled a plan to combat infertility and the declining birth rate, saying it would help pave the way toward what he described as France's "demographic re-armament."
Until now, paid maternity leave in France has been just under four months for a first child, while fathers have been entitled to 28 days of leave following a birth.
Under the new rules, which came into force on Wednesday, mothers and fathers can now share an additional one or two months of leave on top of existing entitlements.
New provisions
Parents will receive 70% of their net salary during the first month and 60% during the second.
The new provisions apply to parents of children born on or after January 1, 2026. Adoptive parents are also eligible.
Fertility rates are declining across the European Union.
France last year -- for the first time since the end of World War II -- recorded fewer births than deaths, according to the National Statistics Institute.
Feminist groups say the reform falls short and is unlikely to improve gender equality. They note that the lower-earning partner -- typically the woman -- is more likely to take the additional leave.
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