The petition reminds that breastfeeding benefits a child and its mother’s health, as the WHO argues. It recommends to continue the activity until the child turns 2. Photo: Shutterstock

The petition reminds that breastfeeding benefits a child and its mother’s health, as the WHO argues. It recommends to continue the activity until the child turns 2. Photo: Shutterstock

A petition to bring parental leave in Luxembourg from six to nine months is quickly gaining the signatures needed to be debated in the Chamber of Deputies.

has already found 2,904 supporters for its cause. Though it needs to reach 4,500 valid and verified signatories within the next 35 days, the request to parliament seems on the path to success.

The petition asks for a longer parental leave, so that “parents have the option of caring for their child at home until the child’s first birthday.” Currently, parents in Luxembourg can voluntarily take six months of parental leave full-time or one year part-time before their child turns six. The leave is not transferrable between parents and each parent has to take their turn separately. More flexible arrangements can be agreed with employers .

“Against the background that many parents find the balance between work and family with a small child difficult, the extension of parental leave would not only be a great relief for them, but also an enrichment for the children,” the petitioner continues. The grand duchy has , with two thirds of children taken care of by professionals at least one hour a week. The longer parental leave would allow parents to create a stronger bond with their child, the petition says.

It also argues that the current format of six months can be a hurdle for women who breastfeed their child. “The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends that the child is breastfed until their second year,” the petitioner says. Working mothers in the grand duchy are granted breastfeeding breaks, which count as fully paid working hours and amount to 90 minutes a day. But its leave policy pales in comparison to Germany where mothers can ask up to three years and Sweden were parental leave lasts sixteen months.

The petition comes just after labour minister Georges Engel (LSAP) and family minister Corinne Cahen (DP) on 19 May presented a couple of draft laws on parental leave. One included same sex parents and independent fathers in the right to paid paternity leave, while another asked of employers to write a written letter

Cahen had highlighted that Luxembourg by far outdid EU directives on the matter, with parental leave being non-transferrable and taking many forms.  

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