madam president it is very clear from the amendments submitted by some colleagues in alde ppe and ecr though luckily not all of them that they have sold their souls to short-sighted corporate interests and to lobbyists from member states who do not care about women's rights
if those amendments are adopted life for new mothers and fathers in the eu will not improve
if leave is not properly paid only those women whose jobs do not matter can take it up
you my dear colleagues on the right are perpetuating a traditional system with a male breadwinner and his little wife with her little job on the side kept neatly under his thumb
for her it does not really matter how much the compensation is
but any independent woman who actually financially provides for her family had better get back to work after the six compulsory weeks if the rest is poorly paid whether or not she is still bleeding and she can forget about offering her child a good start by breastfeeding
i hope with all my heart that those who really want to make life better for new mothers and fathers will win this vote
this directive could be a cornerstone of a modern labour market policy for the ageing society
the future needs politicians brave enough to have their own opinions who can look a bit further ahead and who have a vision for a society with many more working mothers and many more caring fathers
the future can certainly do without those who buckle at the knees as soon as business ceos with only the next financial report on their minds and national ministers with only the next elections on their minds start lobbying
