Imam Mohammed Elsadi. Photo: Matthew MirabelliThe local Imam’s suggestion that Malta should hold a referendum on civil union has stirred a hornet’s nest on social media, provoking hundreds of comments.
Imam Mohammed Elsadi argued in an opinion piece in Times of Malta that in the same way as divorce was introduced by referendum, the electorate should be given the direct choice of whether to introduce civil union into local legislation.
He said the majority of the Maltese were against civil union between same-sex couples, and the fact that Labour had pledged it in its electoral manifesto was “of minor interest for the majority of the Maltese people”.
The article appeared on the day the Muslim community was organising Iftar – a Muslim celebration on the breaking of fast of Ramadan – in honour of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
Timesofmalta.com’s report on the article was inundated with comments chiding the Imam for “interfering in Maltese affairs” and telling Muslims to “mind their own business.”
Commenters chided him for ‘interfering’
Others felt offended that “Muslims are telling Maltese Roman Catholics” what to do and how “to conduct their personal lives.”
When asked for their reaction, the Nationalist and Labour parties agreed there was an electoral mandate to legislate on the matter.
A spokesman for Labour told Times of Malta that “the Government intends to keep to its commitment”.
The PN said the Government could move forward on the issue, adding it would make its position known once the proposed legislation was published but noting the Government “already has a popular mandate to propose this”.
The Church – which campaigned against divorce – was unenthusiastic about the Imam’s proposal.
“The referendum is a democratic instrument which expresses the will of the majority,” a Curia spokesman said.
“It does not necessarily lead to what is right or wrong, nor to what is a fundamental human right or not.”
The spokesman added that a referendum’s outcome was also determined by how the question was formulated.