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Deborah Schembri, head of the Divorce Movement, said this afternoon that the outcome of the referendum meant that a majority of the people had showed solidarity with those couples who had problems and needed the introduction of divorce.

Although this was a win for the Divorce Movement, she said at a press conference, those who had voted 'no' had not lost anything because they could opt not to divorce.

"The yes incorporates the no but the no does not incorporate the yes," she said.

Dr Schembri thanked in particular MPs Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Evarist Bartolo for their assistance.

Among other people who Dr Schembri said she wished to thank, were members of the clergy for their e-mails on particular matters.

Dr Schembri said she regretted some things which happened during the campaign, including some actions by the church. The apology issued yesterday was late, she said.  However the actions of the institutions should not be linked to the faith, and a distinction should be made. She hoped no one's faith was undermined.

She said the Divorce Movement would remain active until divorce legislation was enacted. She hoped the debate in parliament would be constructive and the points of the referendum question were respected in the law. One could discuss other changes, if necessary, she said.

Asked if she would be a political election candidate, she said she always kept her options open but had not thought about the matter, although she would like to serve society.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said he had not taken a decision on his own political future. There were two years to go ( to the next general election) and he was keeping his options open too, Dr Pullicino Orlando said.

Dr Schembri said that while one of the district swhich voted 'no' was a district from where Dr Pullicino Orlando was elected, the eighth district and the 13th were not.

As for the voting in parliament, Dr Schembri said the MPs who disagreed with the introduction of divorce could opt to vote in favour or abstain if they did not wish to go against the will of the people.

"Now the people have spoken, let us give them what they want," she said.

She said she was optimistic throughout the referendum campaign because the Maltese people were always altruistic.

Dr Schembri said she knew of people who had not voted or voted against what they felt, because of pressure from the Church and in such circumstances, such people felt the apology issued yesterday came too late.

She said she did not think that the apology by the Church meant that the ban imposed on her by the Ecclesiastical Tribunal had been lifted. That decision, she said 'hurt her' and she had not spoken against the indissolubility of a Church marriage.  Her work before the tribunal was important because of the help she gave to her clients, she said. She hoped the government would intervene, once Tribunal decisions had a bearing on proceedings before the Civil Courts. It was a human right that people could choose their own counsel, she said.

Replying to a question about comments that Labour MP Adrian Vassallo would still vote against divorce legislation,  Labour MP Evarist Bartolo said those MPs who had signed the (Labour Party) declaration in favour of the holding of divorce should not now vote in parliament against the outcome of the referendum.

Dr Schembri said it was very mature that the people had taken their decision without the guidance of the political parties. The fact that 40% of the people were undecided until the last moment showed that the people had been thinking, she said.

Dr Schembri said she hoped other groups similar to the Divorce Movement would be set up for particular issues where the law was lacking. For example, she said, she was fond of bio-medical and bio-ethical issues.

Replying to another question on whether Malta was now more European, she replied:

"We are as European as we were yesterday, but finally we have recognised that we are," she said to applause.