A decision on making divorce legal should be taken by the electorate and not by members of Parliament, according to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

"I feel that the privilege of deciding on something important and vital to our society - the family - should not be taken by 69 MPs but by the electorate," Dr Gonzi said at the end of the Nationalist Party's hastily-convened parliamentary group meeting yesterday to discuss the divorce Bill presented on Tuesday by backbencher Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

The Prime Minister did not specify whether the electorate should have its say in a referendum or at a general election.

"The parliamentary group, including Jeffrey, agreed that the debate on divorce should continue at national and party level," Dr Gonzi said without making a commitment on whether the Bill will actually be put on Parliament's agenda or whether a referendum on the matter will be held before the end of the legislature.

For the Private Member's Bill to be debated and voted upon in Parliament it will have to be put on the agenda by the House Business Committee, headed by the Speaker and composed of three government MPs and two from the opposition.

Dr Gonzi brushed off a question on whether Dr Pullicino Orlando was asked to withdraw the Bill, which caught him and the parliamentary group completely by surprise.

However, in brief comments after the meeting, the backbencher said he was not asked to withdraw the Bill and it will remain before Parliament.

The Prime Minister reiterated his opposition to divorce and the way Dr Pullicino Orlando went about the matter.

"I am against divorce because I am in favour of strong families," Dr Gonzi said, while acknowledging there were members in the party who had different opinions on how to achieve the aim of strengthening the family.

After the meeting, MPs did not comment on the internal discussion. Jesmond Mugliett did say however that an issue of concern raised by many MPs was whether the party had a mandate or not to introduce divorce.

Sources described the meeting as very civilised and cordial with Dr Pullicino Orlando standing his ground and rebutting all the arguments that came his way.

There were also singular voices, who applauded the initiative describing it as a wake-up call for the party "to get its head out of the sand" and discuss divorce seriously.

Before the meeting, Dr Pullicino Orlando said he was confident there were some MPs from the government side who supported him on the issue.

He did not say who they were.