Seven localities where a yes for divorce majority was recorded had a majority of Nationalist Party councillors, Labour MP Owen Bonnici said.

Speaking during the divorce debate in Parliament this evening, he said these localities were Mellieha, Pieta, Safi, St Julians, Swieqi, St Paul's Bay and San Gwann.

Dr Bonnici said that he was proud to be living in such a historic and unique moment when for the first time a bill piloted by a private member was followed by a referendum held by a resolution of the House of Representatives.

He said that during the referendum campaign he worked heedlessly with the Yes campaign both on the forefront and in the backroom.

Dr Bonnici said he could not understand how after such a result which saw the people saying a clear yes, there were MPs who would be voting no.

"To vote no when the people clearly asked their representatives to vote yes is a dangerous precedent," he said.

He said that during committee stage, MPs should work to ensure that maintenance for children should be guaranteed.

Acknowledge problems in order to solve them - Charles Buhagiar

Labour MP Charles Buhagiar said that more than 10 per cent of people who lived in Malta were foreigners and MPs also had to legislate for them.

MPs had to keep in mind that not everyone in Malta was a Catholic and minorities also had to be considered when laws were enacted

He said that the state and even the church were not doing enough to help families cope with the pressures they were facing.

And unless something was done, the problem of broken marriages would continue to grow.

But problems, he said, had to first be acknowledged in order to be solved.

MPs cannot be denied right to vote according to conscience - Giovanna Debono

Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono said she could not vote in favour of the bill just because this was what the majority wanted.

This, she said, was not just a social and political one, it was also one that was fundamentally linked to basic family principles inspired by human and Christian values, which she treasured.

The bill, Mrs Debono said, went against these values and those voting no had a right to do so both at a personal level and on behalf of the no voters.

Mrs Debono said that MPs could not be denied the right to vote according to the freedom of their conscience.

Referring to the result obtained in Gozo, the minister said her vote could mean she was representing Gozitan voters but she would not be voting no for this aim.

She asked why was the Gozitan vote interpreted negatively and pointed out it was not fair to imply Gozitans had not been guided by thought, solidarity and compassion.

The Gozitans, she said, were a mature people who were transforming challenges into opportunities.

She hoped Parliament would agree on a law which implemented justice but at the same time safeguarded the vulnerable.

I felt pressured by the media - Philip Mifsud

Nationalist MP Philip Mifsud said that the people had spoken very clearly in favour of divorce in a consultative referendum.

Although he had been against the introduction of divorce and voted against it in the referendum, now that the people had expressed their will he could never see himself voting against the bill.

However, since divorce went against his values and beliefs and he could also not vote in favour.

So following a period of tough reflection which lasted weeks, he would be abstaining.

Although he had never been pressured by the party, he had felt pressured by the media.

Changes of substance should required two thirds majority or referendum - Jason Azzopardi

Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi said that the bill should include an amendment for a two thirds majority or another referendum for any amendments of substance to be made to the bill.

He said that in line with the people’s will, Parliament should legislate in line of what the people wanted and what they voted for.

However, the voice of those who voted against also had to be reflected in Parliament as long as the will of the majority was implemented.

As he had no right to judge those who felt they should now vote yes, others also did not have the right to criticise those, who like him, felt they should vote no during the second reading of the bill, when the vote on the principle of the bill would be taken.

Dr Azzopardi said that for the vulnerable not to be abused, the remuneration of lawyers should be established by law. And when a divorce was imposed on one party by another, the expenses should be carried by the part who wanted the divorce.

A number of articles as proposed in the bill, he pointed out, did not reflect the will of the people as reflected in the referendum.

Moral arguments should be extrapolated from issue - Chris Cardona

Labour MP Chris Cardona said that the referendum had been held to guide MPs as to what the people wanted. So their responsibility was now doubled as they could see that a responsible divorce law was needed and the people had decided they wanted this.

Dr Cardona said that moral arguments had to be extrapolated from the issue and what the people wanted had to be given utmost importance.

He said could not understand how certain Nationalist MPs were saying they would vote no on the second reading of the bill in the second reading and then bend their morals and vote yes on the third. This was now how politics was done, he said.

Labour, he said, had, since the very beginning, given its MPs a free vote and it did not change the goal posts at any point.

If the right to maintenance is given up, would this be in the interest of children, Dolores Cristina asks

Education Minister Dolores Cristina said that as a believer of lifelong marriage she could not vote in favour of divorce. She said she was also against abortion, euthanasia and same sex marriage.

Mrs Cristina said that her vote on the third reading would depend on the how the amendments would mitigate as much as possible the negativity of the bill.

She asked if the right for maintenance could be given up if divorce was sought by the part not receiving maintenance wanted. If this was possible, would this be in the interest of the children, she asked.

Condolences

Most of today's speakers started their speech expressing their condolences with the family of Mrs Mary Fenech Adami.