No official declaration has as yet been made, but pressure is building on the President as Parliament seeks to pass a law making the termination of a pregnancy legal if there are health concerns for the mother.

Times of Malta today reports that Vella is considering the option to resign if the amendment is approved as proposed by the government.

He is mainly concerned that the change will allow abortion to take place even when the mother’s life is not at risk, the report says.

The president needs to sign any law that is passed by Parliament for it to come into force. No President of Malta has ever resigned.

Parliament is expected to vote on the law on 19 December. It is currently in the second reading stage and any wording could change at committee stage.

Vella had told Net News last year that there are no half measures to murder, in reference to a private member’s bill presented by then independent MP Marlene Farrugia to decriminalise abortion.

Last summer, Vella had reservations also on the IVF bill, but the bill was signed by Acting President Frank Bezzina when Vella was abroad. There had been weeks of speculation in between the passing of the bill by Parliament and Bezzina’s signature, with Vella repeatedly saying that the bill would be signed. In the end, it had been signed by Bezzina.

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