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Still not the most generous in Europe: Spain raises parental leave to 17 weeks for both mothers and fathers
The new measures will take effect immediately and expand parental leave in a landmark social welfare policy
The Spanish government has implemented a significant extension of paid care leave after the Council of Ministers formally approved a new Royal Decree-Law on Tuesday July 29. The decree follows intense negotiations between government coalition partners PSOE and Sumar, culminating in an agreement that seeks to improve work-life balance and comply with EU legislation.
The modifications are another example of Spain’s raft of social welfare developments in recent years, including paid menstrual leave for women, subsidies for the use of public transport, more flexible retirement and pension options and minimum wage increases.
Key changes to parental leave in Spain 2025
Under the new decree, three categories of leave are extended:
- Birth leave increases from 16 to 17 weeks for both parents, applicable until the child turns 12 months.
- Parental leave for childcare, initially introduced in 2023 as eight unpaid weeks, now includes two paid weeks. However, this only applies to families with children born after August 2, 2024.
- Single-parent families are granted 32 weeks of paid leave in total – 28 weeks of birth and childcare leave, plus four weeks of parental leave for children born after August 2, 2024.
The new measures come into force on Wednesday July 30, following their publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
While the decree marks social progress, it falls short of the full commitments outlined in the government manifesto. That agreement included a promise to extend parental leave to 20 weeks and guarantee payment for four of the eight weeks of parental care leave.
The current extension includes only one additional week of birth leave and two paid weeks of parental care, meaning further changes will be needed to fulfil the broader goals of the coalition agreement. The government has expressed a political commitment to eventually reach the 20-week target.
Although the decree will take effect immediately, it must be ratified by the Spanish Parliament (Cortes Generales) within 30 days. If a majority of MPs vote against it, the decree will lapse and previous rules will be reinstated.
Parliament may also choose to process the decree as a bill, allowing political groups to propose amendments, potentially paving the way for further improvements or expanded benefits.
With 17 paid weeks for childbirth and two paid weeks for childcare now guaranteed, Spain moves closer to a more inclusive model of family rights, though it is by no means the most generous country when it comes to parental leave.
In comparison Estonia is possibly the country with the best maternity and paternity leave in the world, offering new parents an incredible 475 days (62 weeks) of paid time off, divided between the two parents. Elsewhere in the EU, Croatia and Bulgaria both offer a very generous 58 weeks.
In the UK, paid paternity leave amounts to a measly two weeks. Mothers can take up to 52 weeks if they want, but statutory maternity pay is only paid for up to 39 weeks, and not at full rate.
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