Muscat does not see divorce being on PL election programme
File picture.
Labour Party leader Joseph Muscat said today that he did not see the issue of divorce being included in the PL election manifesto, although the issue was still being debated within the party.
Replying to questions this evening on the TVM programme Dissett, Dr Muscat said he had made his position on divorce clear during the run-up to his election to the PL leadership. Once Labour was in government he would move a private member's bill for the introduction of divorce and give a free vote to the Labour MPs.
One would see what the PN and its leader at the time would do.
Asked why he did not move the private member's motion now. Dr Muscat said divorce had not been on the last PL manifesto and it had not been discussed.
It was positive that the subject was now being discussed rather than having the hypocritical situation where the subject was not even raised.
Dr Muscat said he did not expect the Church to agree with him on divorce but his duty was also to hear minorities. He did not intend to pick a fight with the church and he hoped the Church leadership would not launch any crusade but would make itself heard in a democratic manner.
Dr Muscat argued that there should be a distinction between the Church and the State in the area of marriage, although the two could work with each other. The state, he said, had abdicated its responsibilities with regard to marriage, even in the area of helping couples prepare for marriage from the legal and financial aspects. And one needed to ensure that children born outside wedlock were not disadvantaged.
The PL leader said that when one discussed state and church school reforms and church school funding, one should also ensure that private independent schools were not undermined.
Replying to further questions, Dr Muscat said he still felt that the Constitution should continue to feature the Catholic religion as the religion of Malta, while people who followed other religions enjoyed their freedoms.
On the constitutional provisions on neutrality, Dr Muscat said the concept remained valid but the wording could be updated to the current realities.
Dr Muscat in other parts of his interview said a future Labour government would drop the defence in court on claims for refunds of VAT charged on vehicle registration. This, he said, had been a case of government theft and a Labour government would settle this issue.
He said the Labour Party was drafting proposals for inclusion in its programme on accountability in the law courts, while respecting the independence of the judiciary. On the Depasquale impeachment case, Dr Muscat said he would probably have voted differently from most Labour MPs.
When asked about the current controversy involving Magistrate Consuelo Scerri-Herrera, Dr Muscat said the Magistrate had done well to ask the police to investigate and one should now let the investigation take its course. Asked how he would act if this case ended up in an impeachment motion, Dr Muscat repeatedly insisted that the investigation should take its course, pointing out that there could be different agenda in the issue.
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Charles J. Buttigieg
Feb 24th 2010, 19:12
Let’s face the sad fact....we have different opinions in both PN and PL supporters about the divorce issue. Any of the two parties categorically admitting that it would provide for divorce would be skating on thin ice. So they muck about with rhetoric and sod the unhappily married. Joseph Muscat is a real progressive fellow but he is also smart enough not to jeopardise the PL by taking it to a very perilous quest.
Britain faces a similar situation about their Monarchy, supporters of the Conservative and the Labour Parties have diverse opinions. Any of the two parties raising the issue would be doomed.
Muscat.Pat
Feb 24th 2010, 17:50
@ C.Zammit.
Sorry to disappoint you , but Ive been happily maried for 35 years, but as a Christian it does not seem fair to me to say" I am OK jack ...you jack!"
Charles J. Buttigieg
Feb 24th 2010, 15:17
Very conveniently we are ignoring the fat fact that unlike fiscal and administrative laws, the divorce legal mechanism does not offer an imposition on anybody. Any married couple who are experiencing perpetual contempt and want to stay together till death them do part, are free to follow their religion, live in hell and then enjoy eternal happiness. No government can take away that option from them.
Marriage is a contract between a man and a woman administered by the state with no imposition to last indefinitely. The sacrament of marriage is respected by the church but it is not legally binding. If a couple gets married only in church they are free to separate and the state will marry them again to different partners. And this is the greatest hypocrisy of the Maltese law.
C.Zammit
Feb 24th 2010, 11:21
@ Muscat. Pat . "Failed Maltese State" Why??? Because we don't have divorce! Hypocrites ? Why because some one keeps a marriage for Life. You people who have had failed marriages I feel sorry for you but it does not mean that now that you are in this situation you try and ruin a country! Just because we don't have divorce we are not second class citizens! Malta is a Free Democratic country . YOU ARE SO FREE THAT NOW WE ARE IN THE E.U. IF YOU DON'T LIKE MALTA LEAVE LEAVE & LEAVE. WE ARE HAPPY THE WAY WE ARE. I was thinking of voting PL but since he wants a secular state I will vote GONZI P.N even if ge intends to increase utility bills Taxes and so on. I rather pay that ruin a country. As you insulted conservatives I have the right to insult empty brain Liberals!!! ITS CALLED FREDOOM OF SPEECH!!!!!!!!
Maria Vella
Feb 24th 2010, 11:09
Dear Joseph What makes you think that it is the minority who wants divorce? and why should only the chosen few within your party vote? what about the rest of the population? won't you be there for all of us? Not very progressive are you?
Anthony Briffa
Feb 24th 2010, 11:07
The point in Dr. Muscats reference to divorce is not whether we should introduce it or not. It is his way of dishing out something to please a sector which is in favour and at the same time not wanting to upset those against. If he is convinced that it is high time that divorce is introduced in Malta than he should have the courage and make it part of his electoral manifesto for 2013. This pantomine of leaving the decision to a free vote in parliament does not hold as parliament will not have the mandate from the electorate to enact unless it would have been included in the manifesto. Also he need not place himself as a victim of the church from the ouset in this matter because he knows well enough that the church is against divorce and if it sees fit to have a campain against it , it is only its prerogative to do so. His reasoning is defeating the object and putting such an important decision in the hands of only 65 members of parliament. This proposal should go into the electoral manifestos subject to a referendum. Anything else is empty talk.
Muscat. Pat
Feb 24th 2010, 11:03
Unlike GonziPN, Dr Joseph Muscat has opened the door; he DID not close it! Conservatives and hypocrites find all sorts of excuses to criticise progress, and Dr Muscat wants us to debate the sort of progress that exists in all the EU countries except Malta. We are not, and Dr Joseph Muscat does not want us to be second class citizens in our homeland called Europe. Anyway, as things stand, if a Maltese couple brake up,they can get a divorce from abroad, ( if they are rich enough to afford); if not rich, well , they have to lump it because their "failed" Maltese State, does not treat its citizens equally and fairly. Indeed, in the "divorce debates", the rights of the Maltese citizens are still stuck in the Pre-French Revolutionary era-300 years back- where there was " No equality, no fraternty, and no liberty": this is what " the divorce debates" is all about.
C.Zammit
Feb 24th 2010, 10:41
@ All in favor of divorce. By not having divorce it does not mean that we are living in the 1900s. We should be teaching our children the value of marriage not the other way around. If you find a partner & get married it's forever. This does not mean that when you find tough problems you solve it by splitting up & yes some problems may take months & years to solve them. Today's wow excuse is We Dont Have The Time . TOOOOO BUUUSSSSYYYYYYY!!! It least once in his life Dr.Muscat has some common sense in his brain & if he does not introduce it very very WELL DONE TO HIM!! All you minority in favor of Divorce either leave the country or learn to live with it. Life is not EASY! Still don't beleive Joseph & he will introduce it to this country. Once we become a secular state Malta will be ruined!!!!
d. borg
Feb 24th 2010, 10:08
If Muscat does not even have the courage to make a decision and include divorce in the electoral programme, then I have my doubts whether he will have the courage to make major decisions regarding our country when his time comes. In this case, it's better to vote for the PN because as they say, better the devil you know ... Muscat, beating about the bush will not solve any problems.
laurence schembri
Feb 24th 2010, 08:48
@ Mark Borg
Taboo!!! You are dead right, You will only find it in Malta and the Philippines.
To the rest of the world the word taboo is meaningless. It is about time that we move from AD1900 into the 21th Century.
m pace
Feb 24th 2010, 08:42
@j micallef
Unfortunately there were many promises written on black and white in the PN electoral manifesto and what are they? A puff of air too.
Eric Gahn
Feb 24th 2010, 08:31
How did that song go? Parole, parole, parole.
Dr Muscat you lost my support and admiration. Talking of such change without committing powerful resources to it means nothing.
Frans Sammut
Feb 24th 2010, 08:26
@R Caruana
It's very easy to resort to that cliche, but hardly intelligent at all. Dr Muscat's position is the most honest and tenable in the Maltese situation. People's representatives are there to effect, as much as it is humanly possible, the people's will. Now before definite legislation regarding this issue becomes a reality, a reliable survey (i.e. an official one performed under the strictest inspection conditions, certainly not the risible Xarabank type)must be carried out. As things stand, following the Times pattern, I would put it at 56% against, 35% in favour, 8% “do not know”, 3% “could not care less”, but, of course, you would refute that as being ‘unprofessional’ and you would, of course again, be right. However, so long as you do not come up with more reliable figures I would stick to my estimation. Now, democracy demands that even a 35% minority should be given its rights. Right. Hence the correctness of the position assumed by the Leader of the Opposition.
J. Camilleri
Feb 24th 2010, 08:24
It seems to me that Dr. Muscat is with his feet to the ground with his words and giving the right direction to all those desperate in seeing a clear future ahead. Let us all hope that words turn into reality.
It is better for those whom try to discredit Dr. Muscat words turn on to their own party and make sure that they would not continue to beat around the bush and treat all the citizens without a political tie or help as second class citizen. Deal with corruption and favoritism.
Make sure that the internal PN riffs would not keep shackling down the country. A party with internal problems could never possibly function well to give the best for the good of the country it is running.
As for the divorce in Malta it should be introduced like in any other civilized country. There should be a clear distinction between church and state.
I would like to ask Dr. Muscat what is going to be his agenda to strengthen the family and increase the number or new born. Let us not forget that Malta has fallen to a low and will affect our future.
Joe Micallef
Feb 24th 2010, 08:11
In one instance
“Labour Party leader Joseph Muscat said today that he did not see the issue of divorce being included in the PL election manifesto”
In the other
“Asked why he did not move the private member's motion now. Dr Muscat said divorce had not been on the last PL manifesto”
Hawadni ha nifmek! This is the leader of the opposition a please-all-cheap-talker taking those people who for some reason or another cannot or are unable to go into the nuances of his blabber for a ride in the wake of real problems be it divorce, the price of fuel, the international financial crisis and the rest!
Ray Buttigieg
Feb 24th 2010, 08:07
so this is what the movement for progressives and moderates is all about, bla bla bla.
J.Borg
Feb 24th 2010, 08:03
For me Joseph Muscat is clear enough about the divorce issue.
First there has to be a constructive debate on the issue and not politicise it, as always happens in Malta.
Then when time comes this is to be debated in parlament after having considered all the issues erased and a Free vote taken.
Then the issue of divorce will be clear enough for Malta.
Am positivley sure that there are members in parlament who are against and in favour from both sides of the house.
That's why we need both leaders to give a free vote!!!
J Farrugia
Feb 24th 2010, 08:01
This is very clear position to one and all. He doesn't have the guts to put it in the PL next electoral programme. I will certainly never vote for that party who will introduce divorce in our legislation. So Dr Adrian Vassallo, Dr Marlene Pullicino and those MPs who have a conscience, there is no place for you in the new MLP under Joseph Muscat. Like me you have to vote PN or dont vote at all.
Charmaine Chetcuti
Feb 24th 2010, 07:54
@ J Micallef
How about all the issues mentioned in the PN election programme and not done? I think people now understand that issues mentioned in the election programme of both parties should be taken with an enormous pinch of salt!
Joe E Galea
Feb 24th 2010, 07:46
If JM said it would have been included in the Manifesto, the PN apologists would have come out attacking him in one way. Now that he said at the moment it is not (but still being discussed) they came out attacking in another way. I wasn't surprised at all at their reaction. Divorce is not a political issue. It is an issue which should be discussed on a national level in a democratic way without religionising and politicisizing the issue. The discussions should be based on rational arguments absed on facts not on theological theories and other crap.
@C Agius: Why don't you tell it to Gonzi to start seeing how he can make families stronger as we still have 3 more years under his regime. In 3 years the situation will degenerate, we don't need JM to be PM. I think your comment should be directed to your church which should get its things right and instead of pointing fingers to everything and anyone, should go out there and do charity for the good of the community instead of indulging in tabernacles costing 51K Euros.
C.camilleri
Feb 24th 2010, 07:43
Divorce is not a political issue. Divorce is a right for those who need it.
Joseph Muscat brought divorce on the agenda. It makes no difference whether it is in the PL manifesto or not , Joseph promised a free vote and one only hopes that PN do likewise.
For all those taking Joseph to task , I only have this to say. Why dont they encourage their party the PN to write black on white in his electoral manifesto stating that he will not introduce divorce no matter what. Only then I start believing that the PN is not trying to please everybody.
We'll wait and see.
R. C aruana
Feb 24th 2010, 06:52
Very clear! Hunting with the hounds and running with the hare.
laurence schembri
Feb 24th 2010, 05:51
Divorce is a neccessary issue, it should be included in the Manifesto, or else stop talking about. This goes to one and all.
Joe Fenech
Feb 24th 2010, 01:31
Well, divorce is not an election issue, isn't it?!!!!
C Aguis
Feb 24th 2010, 00:01
Ara veru ezempju car li biex nakkwistaw il-voti nacettaw kollox. Socjeta' soda ghandha tkun mibnija fuq familji sodi. Ikun ahjar jekk il-PL jipproponi x'se jaghmel biex isahhah il-familji !!!
J Micallef
Feb 24th 2010, 00:00
ANy promise which is not written 'Black on white' within the electoral programme is just a puff of hot air.
E Cachia
Feb 23rd 2010, 23:02
X'tahwid...Ftit gimghat ilu Evarist Bartolo fuq programm fuq l-istess stazzjon qal illi d-divorzju bilfors irid ikun fil-programm elettorali.
Wara li rajt lil Joseph Muscat illejla ikkonfermajt li dan xejn mhu differenti minn ta' qablu. Proposti xejn..paroli biss...anke l-famuza frazi li kien jghid Alfred Sant qabel l-1996 hadlu - the proof of the pudding is in the eating !!!
Mark Borg
Feb 23rd 2010, 22:59
Divorce is still a taboo in Malta. A conservative theocratic country ...dare to mention divorce and they will jump on you. Thanks for trying Dr.Muscat but Malta is still living in 1900.
Please choose the reason of your report below: