Walking out of Parliament towards a crowd celebrating a legislative landmark is usually the highlight of an MP’s career but Monday night was probably Claudette Buttigieg’s most “devastating” political experience.
“I was tremendously hurt, tremendously. Walking out of Parliament and not being able to join in the celebrations was so difficult for me,” the Opposition MP said yesterday.
The Nationalist parliamentary group was booed as its members were walking out after abstaining on the Civil Unions Bill.
Ms Buttigieg, the Opposition’s civil rights spokeswoman, said she had lifelong friends who were among the revellers crowding Valletta’s St George’s Square.
“I would have loved to be part of those celebrations. There were some of my closest friends there,” she said, adding that the “overwhelming” negative response from the crowd sparked her decision to leave.
“I think my presence would have offended the crowd. They were angry and my presence would have been insensitive.
“It would have seemed like I didn’t understand what they were trying to tell me. They were telling me to go home; that ‘we don’t feel you are part of us’,” she said, seemingly uncomfortable with recollecting the evening’s events.
Asked where she stood on the new legislation, Ms Buttigieg said she knew many gay couples who had adopted children and insisted they were doing “a great job”. Despite this, she felt public opinion was not in favour of the move and she described it as rushed. “I think the issue of gay adoption was definitely rushed. And, unfortunately, I think it was purposely rushed to make the Nationalist Party feel uncomfortable.
“At the end of the day, it isn’t just the PN which is uncomfortable with this but a big chunk of society,” she said, adding that a nationwide campaign was needed to help society come to terms with the new legislation.
“The views of society are not necessarily the same as mine. We have to move fast to prepare society now that this Bill has been passed,” she said.
They were angry and my presence would have been insensitive
Ms Buttigieg would not say whether she had felt comfortable abstaining. Instead, she said her abstention was necessary because she formed part of a parliamentary group.
“When you are part of a group you are not an individual doing things alone. We have had people who stood up and made a whole show out of politics.
“This is the difficult part of being in a team, agreeing to disagree and finding the common ground,” she said.
Asked if the PN’s stand had alienated gay voters, Ms Buttigieg was reluctant to comment. “Time will tell. At the moment, any comment on how the gay community feels would probably create even more bad feelings, when things are still so fresh, even for me,” she said.