Malta's divorce law in the international media
Various international media carry the news that the Maltese Parliament has passed the Bill providing for the introduction of divorce as of October 1.
The BBC says, “Parliament in mainly Roman Catholic Malta has passed an historic law legalising divorce which now only requires the president's signature.”
Commenting on the fact that MPs passed the law by 52 votes to 11 with five abstentions and one absence, the Associated Press said that the outcome in parliament “is a crushing victory considering that most laws in Malta are passed by just one vote.”
CBS News notes that “19 Nationalist MPs approved the legislation, going against their party's official stand”.
In the UK, The Independent says “Maltese citizens will no longer have to travel abroad to divorce, following yesterday's overwhelming vote in favour, finally allowing couples to end their marriages at home on the heavily Catholic island nation.”
AFP says “The law was passed following a referendum in May which voted in favour of the change despite the opposition of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and his ruling Nationalist Party.” It quotes Dr Gonzi saying, “The amendments to the original Divorce Bill had improved the law but this does not mean I'm happy with it.” He added that he fet "uncomfortable" about the introduction of divorce in Malta, which was "why I voted against it".
ABC News quotes Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat describing the Prime Minister's vote as "inexplicable," saying Dr Gonzi had once again ignored how the people voted in the referendum. It adds that “Up to now, Maltese citizens could only obtain divorce abroad. In the last 30 years, 785 Maltese couples divorced this way, with numbers gradually rising from seven in 1981 to 47 in 2010.”
Under the heading “Maltese Parliament overturns divorce ban”, France 24 makes reference to the stand of the church, saying that “The Roman Catholic Church, which looms large over the archipelago where 95 percent of the population is Catholic, did not campaign officially in May's non-binding referendum in which 53 percent of voters cast ballots in favour. However, Valletta's Archbishop Paul Cremona had warned churchgoers in a letter they faced a choice between building and destroying family values. In addition, priests reportedly threatened to refuse communion to those who voted yes".
The Scottish Daily Express notes Malta had been the only European Union nation without divorce legislation, adding that “the vote was a blow to the ruling Nationalist Party, which had opposed divorce ahead of the referendum”.
Canada.com says the vote in parliament “was not short of controversy after Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, a staunch Catholic who campaigned against the introduction of divorce, voted against the Bill. “I voted according to my conscience, and my conscience doesn't allow me to be a hypocrite, or to declare myself in favour of something I don't believe in,” Gonzi told reporters after the vote. However, Gonzi also said his decision was based on the knowledge that a majority of parliamentarians intended to vote in favour of the divorce bill.
And Manila’s Radio Natin notes that “now that Malta has finally approved divorce, the Philippines is the only country left without such law”.
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Gerry Cowie
Jul 26th 2011, 19:56
I am disappointed by Mr Patrick Zammit's "contribution" below which is just a cheap attempt to ridicule the Church. How weak to go back in time to dredge up the past! The Church is made up of human beings who make mistakes - rather like secularists. The Church has also apologised for past mistakes - and now I hear the clerical abuse comments falling from the sky!
History can be used to attempt to prove whatever one's agenda seeks to prove. But the trick is to convince others, which he fails to do.
To Quote Mr Zammit himself:- "Think with your brains, that's what they are there for."
Mr Patrick Zammit
Jul 26th 2011, 21:25
Mr G Cowie
In two separate cases (slavery and the earth's shape) I mentioned the fact that the church's position was a result of what is written in both the old and the new testaments which according to the church, is the word of God/Jesus and not of "human beings" as you said.
Mr John Borg
Jul 26th 2011, 14:34
Let's cut this out of saying Malta is predominently Catholic becuase (sadly) it seems we call ourselves Catholic but don't practice our beliefs.
Part of a club but picking only the rules we like
Alfred Gatt
Jul 26th 2011, 12:54
That Malta might have 95% baptized Catholics could be correct but being 'staunch' Catholics is a bubble myth which has burst with the referendum!
Josep Ellul-Grech
Jul 26th 2011, 12:20
“I voted according to my conscience, and my conscience doesn't allow me to be a hypocrite, or to declare myself in favour of something I don't believe in,” Gonzi told reporters after the vote.
No matter what Prime Minister Gonzi says he is still a hypocrite. No only on the divorce issue but on many other issues such as the rampant political corruption and unaccountability that has been practiced under his leadership and his predecessor since 1987.
His political party won the last election by 1, 550 votes. That is not even a one-seat majority. He has now undemocratically voted against the will of the majority of the nation. That makes him and those who support him a minority. Losing the vote in the referendum and in parliament demonstrates the loss of support from the electorate and loss of confidence in him in parliament. He should resign and call a general election forthwith. That is democracy.
However, being the undemocratic hypocrite that he is, Gonzi will hang on to power to the bitter end.
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 26th 2011, 12:13
The best report is that by Canada.com quoting the Prime Minister as saying:
“I voted according to my conscience,
and my conscience doesn't allow me to be a hypocrite,
or to declare myself in favour of something I don't believe in,”
Gonzi told reporters after the vote.
However, Gonzi also said his decision was based on the knowledge
that a majority of parliamentarians intended to vote in favour of the divorce bill.
The Prime Minister has made sure Parliament reflected the people's vote
while he remained true to his principles. W
e now have divorce,
yet the Prime Minister is no hypocrite.
I, for one, can only admire Dr Gonzi for that.
.
Ramon Casha
Jul 26th 2011, 11:34
The reaction of these papers is as if they'd just heard of a tribal village somewhere where the village elders have just allowed the use of electricity for the first time.
K Busuttil
Jul 26th 2011, 09:35
Very telling that almost all newspapers specifically mention the governing party's stand against divorce. Also very telling that they quoted the specific vote of the PM AGAINST the people's wishes. Isn't it time to resign if you can't represent the people?! Serious politicians abroad would.....
Anthony Micallef
Jul 26th 2011, 12:02
That will be the day, Dr Gonzi resigns and what will he do without the 500 extra euros a week that he so consciensciously given himself and his cronies?The day will come when the majority of the Maltese will be celebrating his downfall in the streets because oppression similar to this does not last.
Jamie Iain Genovese
Jul 26th 2011, 12:11
Le sorry ta. It's his vote, you can't expect him to use his own personal life to represent the nation just because the majority does it!
Joseph G. Galea
Jul 26th 2011, 09:27
The BBC headlines on this news item actually makes clear the hypocrisy of the maltese. A catholic can never accept divorce, and that is why the BBC is astonished that "95% catholic Malta " approves with an astonishing majority the divorce law.
Liliana Said
Jul 26th 2011, 10:52
When Italy did a referendum for divorce way back in 1974, 97.9% were baptized as Catholics. Then why all this fuss????
Catholics are not supposed to judge people yet we do it all the time.
Divorce is in so no use acting like the wolf with the sour grapes
Mr Patrick Zammit
Jul 26th 2011, 09:17
Hmmm...a good number of our MPs are going to hell.
Or maybe not, maybe the church in the future, will say that hell does not exist and the fate of our MPs will be brighter.
The church has already decided that limbo does not exist any more. It has used limbo for centuries to scare parents out of their wits and persuade them that if their innocent new born baby died before having his scalp sprinkled with water, that baby would go to a dark place. How can the church be so mean as to insist that an innocent new born baby is already "tainted" with sin?
History proves that the church cannot be trusted:
It supported slavery (because god tells us to in the bible) and now not anymore.
It persecuted people for saying that the world is round and that the it orbits the sun (again because god tells us so), not anymore.
It tortured and murdered people for possessing a bible in the vernacular (and not in Latin) but it is ok now.
Think with your brains, that's what they are there for.