Speaking in Parliament on the Opposition’s motion regarding the referendum question, Edwin Vassallo seemed to want to turn the clock back to the 1960s, when a ferocious campaign was mounted by the Church authorities, with the Nationalist Party’s blessing and support, against the Labour Party’s “six points”, which included the introduction of civil marriage.

At that time, the main argument was that civil marriage would break up the institution of marriage! Civil marriage was introduced in 1974. Today, not even the bishops ever mention what was once defined as “the evil of civil marriage” in their pastoral letters! Today, Maltese society has accepted civil marriage as a civil right that is available for those who wish to make use of it. Today, instead, we are hearing the bishops and the anti-divorce movement declaring that the institution of marriage in Malta is still very strong, much stronger than in other countries!

What this means is that the 1960s predictions about the effects of civil marriage on the institution of marriage were all scaremongering tactics! Mr Vassallo, together with a number of his Nationalist Party colleagues in Parliament, aided and abetted by a particular PL MP, Dr Adrian Vassallo (of “preferring to live in Iran” fame!), believe that they may yet succeed in scaring voters by doom and gloom predictions if the most responsible divorce law in the world − the one awaiting discussion in Malta’s Parliament − is introduced in our island!

Not only that, but they also are making it clear that they are not ready to accept the people’s verdict in the referendum, if the referendum question is the one which Parliament will probably approve, where voters will know what kind of divorce they are voting on and approving or disapproving! What they want is that voters give Parliament a blank cheque, something that all Labour MPs, and the great majority of the people do not want!

Eddy Privitera

MOSTA