A nurse and part-time pop singer has fulfilled her dream of becoming an MP by taking a seat in parliament on maternity cover.

Under a new provision in a country that is known for its liberalism and progressive social laws, Sabine Uitslag will serve as an MP for the Dutch ruling Christian Democrat party (CDA). She will be a stand-in for Mirjam Sterk.

Ms Uitslag, 35, will spend four months in Parliament until the maternity leave of Ms Sterk has finished. It is the first test of an arrangement that both women believe should become the norm across the European Union.

The trend is catching on fast among the young parliamentarians in the country. Fellow party member Ina Aasted Madsen-van Stiphout is due to become the second maternity-cover MP next month for Nicolien van Vroonhoven-Kok.

“This is like a dream come true and it is a great honour for me to become an MP,” said Ms Uitslag, who was first asked in January if she would be able to provide cover and began to shadow Ms Sterk to become familiar with her work.

Ms Uitslag added: “The subjects that she covered, including children and young people, were too important to be left for four months so it is up to me to make sure everything continues smoothly.

“I call her to ask how she feels because she knows every detail of the policy but I am in charge now of the programme. I will take her advice but I have to make my own decisions following the party policy and have my own ideas.”

The Netherlands has become well known for its progressive social legislation, including the first legal gay marriage and adoption in the world as well as the first legal euthanasia.

Maternity and paternity leave is commonly taken by MPs across Europe but a change in Dutch law in 2006 made it possible for an MP to find a substitute while he or she took temporary leave to have a baby or on health grounds.

The role of stand-in has to be offered to a candidate from the same party who was unsuccessful in the previous general election.

MPs in the Netherlands are chosen according to a list system rather than being elected directly by constituency —- Ms Uitslag was 50th on the CDA's list, just below the cut-off point. Sweden uses a similar system.

Ms Sterk, 34, is due to give birth to her second baby next week. She had a daughter in 2005, while she was an MP but before maternity cover was possible.

“In the Netherlands we have a lot of young women in parliament so it makes it necessary to have an arrangement when they are pregnant,” she said.

“I think this should be quite a normal thing. When you arrange this for other women in the country, in other jobs, and your role models are parliamentarians, you should arrange this for MPs as well,” she added.

Many British MPs have taken maternity leave, including Yvette Cooper and Kitty Usshe. Ministerial duties are covered by another MP but there is no stand-in for constituency matters.

“The Dutch system is in line with much more progressive policies,” Katherine Rake, of the Fawcett Society, the equality campaigner, said.

“While there have been huge improvements in the UK we are still far behind compared to our European sisters and brothers. There is a shooting gallery in the House of Commons but no crèche.”

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