PARIS: France has introduced a new paid parental leave law aimed at reversing the country's declining birth rate and improving work-life balance for families.
Under the legislation, which took effect on July 1, 2026, both parents will be entitled to additional paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child, along with increased financial support.
The new law grants each parent an individual right to one to two months of additional leave, which can be taken after childbirth or adoption. During the first month, parents will receive 70% of their salary, while the second month will be compensated at 60%.
The leave may be taken consecutively or split into two separate one-month periods. Parents may also choose to take the leave simultaneously or at different times.
French authorities said the benefit is available to parents of children born or adopted on or after Jan. 1, 2026, with the goal of allowing newborns to spend more time with both parents during the early months of life.
The government said the reform is intended to help parents better balance family responsibilities and employment while promoting greater gender equality by encouraging both mothers and fathers to share childcare duties.
The new entitlement supplements, rather than replaces, France's existing parental leave benefits. Previously, first-time mothers were entitled to approximately 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, while fathers received 28 days of paid paternity leave.
President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to reform France's family policies in 2024 after expressing concern over the country's record-low birth rate and rising infertility rates.
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According to official French statistics, 2025 marked the first year since World War II in which the number of births in France fell below the number of deaths, a trend the government has described as a major demographic challenge.
