It is election time again. In less than four months we vote in the European elections. And, therefore, it is again time for the PN apologists to bring up the topic of abortion. The Greens of Alternattiva Demokratika can pose a threat since a good number of Maltese citizens would like to vote for Alternattiva. So why not smear the Maltese Greens with the abortion theme once more?
To be honest, I have now got so used to this tactic that it has become part of my routine every four or five years. In 1998 it was George Pullicino who spearheaded the abortion attack on AD. In 2004 it was Tonio Borg. Who will it be in 2009?
The stark reality is that all Maltese parties are against abortion. One of the few things on which Lawrence Gonzi's PN, Joseph Muscat's PL and Arnold Cassola's AD agree upon. Yet, all three Maltese political parties have great problems with this issue on the international front. In fact, all European Socialist parties are in favour of abortion in certain circumstances but Dr Muscat's PL is not. In the European Green Party, it is only the Maltese and Irish Greens who totally reject abortion, under any condition. On the other hand, most Christian Democratic parties in Europe are against abortion, even though it is legal in the vast majority of countries in the EU, including those that have or have had a government made up of Christian Democrats.
The German Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) are not totally in favour of abortion, nor are the German Greens. But both parties have accepted legislation that, under certain conditions, sets women who have had an abortion and their doctors free from prosecution. This means that the German Christian Democrats and the German Greens have accepted the decriminalisation of abortion. The logic behind this has been that, however you may position yourself with regard to abortion, the issue should not be dealt with through the Criminal Code.
Ironically, however, there is another issue linked to respect for human life that clearly distinguishes the German Greens from the German Christian Democrats: Dr Gonzi's bosom friend, German CDU Chancellor Angela Merkel, has completely ignored the Catholic bishops' appeal a couple of months ago and has pushed through Parliament a law that allows for stem cell experimentation on human embryos. The German Greens, instead, sided with the Catholic bishops and opposed stem cell experimentation.
Well, with regard to the abortion issue, AD has always been very clear from its foundation 20 years ago. While we acknowledge that every woman has a right of choice, on the other hand we fully recognise the rights of the unborn child to live.
Basically, there are two principles in direct conflict involved in this issue: a woman's civil right to decide for herself and the unborn child's fundamental right to life.
AD has got clear in mind its scale of values and priorities: in her exercise of the right of choice, a woman has no right to trample over the right of the unborn.
Therefore, in this choice between conflicting interests, AD's position is clear. We hold the rights of the weaker unborn child to stand above any other interest, hence our stand against abortion.
AD's position is a 20-year-old one, since its foundation. And we have reaffirmed it over and over again without any fear or favour. In 1993 AD publicly wrote and stated that it was not ratifying and not adhering to the part of the statutes of the European Federation of Green Parties, which accepts abortion in certain circumstances.
On August 9, 1995 we clearly outlined AD's position against abortion in The Times. In October 1998, then Magistrate Gino Camilleri ordered Mr Pullicino to apologise on national TV for having stated during the 1998 electoral campaign that AD was in favour of abortion.
During the first decade of this 21st century we have continued reaffirming our strong position against abortion. AD prides itself on its consistency vis-à-vis this and any other issues, both on the home front and abroad. While respecting the beliefs of others, we do not accept or allow anybody to impinge on our autonomy.
So, just to repeat, AD is against abortion and for the full right to life. On the other hand, we are against any changes to the Maltese Constitution because we believe that Maltese law as it stands, including the highest law in the country - the Constitution, already clearly affords the highest degree of protection to the right to life.
The Constitution says: "No person shall intentionally be deprived of his life." And for us at AD, the unborn child is definitely a person.
For the 20th year in succession, this is AD's position on the right to life. But, since elections are on our doorstep, I fully realise that the PN, conveniently forgetting uncomfortable ally Chancellor Merkel, will launch its usual, and now 11-year-old, attack on AD citing abortion.
After Mr Pullicino and Dr Borg, who will be the chosen rumour-monger of the PN? I am dying of curiosity to find out.
The author is chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika - the Green party.