Joseph Muscat indicated today that the Labour Party would not take a formal position on divorce.

He said in reply to questions at a PL conference that he personally had a clear mandate about divorce. Prior to his election as party leader, he had explained his personal position in favour of the introduction of divorce and had also said that he would grant Labour MPs a free vote in Parliament.

At the time, he said, he had not expected divorce to come up in this legislature. Malta was now in this position because of lack of leadership by the prime minister.

However, the goings on within the Nationalist Party did not change his own consistent and well known position.

Should a referendum be held, the only change would be that it would be the people who would have a free vote. All Labourites, therefore, would be free to vote as they wished according to their conscience.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said last month that the Nationalist Party would take a position on divorce after discussion within its structures. A political party, Dr Gonzi said, should assume responsibility for its decisions and take a position on matters of principle, without, however, imposing anything on anyone.

Former PN leader Eddie Fenech Adami told The Sunday Times today that the PN should formally adopt a position against the introduction of divorce.