France has launched additional paid parental leave for mothers and fathers as part of efforts to reverse declining birth rates.
FRANCE PARENTAL LEAVE
France has introduced new paid parental leave provisions aimed at boosting the country’s falling birth rate, Channels Television reports.
Under the new rules, which took effect on July 1, mothers and fathers can share an extra one or two months of leave in addition to existing maternity and paternity benefits. Parents will receive 70 per cent of their net salary during the first month and 60 per cent during the second.
The reform follows President Emmanuel Macron’s push to address declining fertility and infertility challenges.
According to Channels Television, the new provisions apply to children born from January 1, 2026, and also cover adoptive parents. France recorded fewer births than deaths in 2025 for the first time since the end of World War II, according to the country’s National Statistics Institute.
NEWS NOW:
