The pregnancy of the mayor of Poitiers (Vienna) was invited to the last municipal council.
Monday, as relayed by La Nouvelle République, Léonore Moncond'huy announced to elected officials that she will interrupt her duties between March 15 and May 15 due to sick leave.
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In this situation, the law does not provide specific provisions for elected officials, as indicated by the Association of Mayors of France (AMF) in Le Parisien.
It is the support provided for salaried workers which applies: the mayor must take time off for at least eight weeks, two before giving birth and six after - i.e. from March 15 to May 15.
The interim will be provided during this period by his first assistant.
Léonore Moncond'huy will also stop receiving her elected official's compensation, but will receive daily allowances paid by Health Insurance.
“An obstacle to political engagement”
“This problem is representative of the obstacles that exist and still prevent young parents today, and particularly women, from planning to exercise political functions,” responded deputy Julie Reynard to La Nouvelle République.
“It is essential to recognize that motherhood or fatherhood should not be a barrier to political engagement,” she added.
The entire council called for an evolution of the law and the legislative framework, according to the local daily.
This is not the first time that a pregnant mayor has faced this situation.
In 2019, the mayor of Decize (Nièvre), Justine Guyot, also had to interrupt her duties during her maternity leave, Le Journal du Center reported at the time.
“We absolutely must review this status if we want to encourage young women to get involved in public life.
We shouldn't have to choose between the two (…).
What I would like is to be able to take maternity leave while continuing to exercise my mandate,” she protested, regretting that a “mayor on sick leave can continue to be mayor if he obtains a medical certificate, but cannot continue during maternity leave.