Muscat delivers last appeal for 'Yes' vote in divorce referendum

Muscat - who spoke on One Radio - reiterated his position of being proud to vote in favour of divorce, adding his belief that he is on the right side of history.

“I pray that people in stable families will never come to need divorce, but if they do, then they would wish for their children not be treated as second class children,” he said.

Muscat said that we cannot live in a society where children whose parents are not together are treated differently.

“Hypocrisy is not an alternative; if a responsible divorce such as this one does not pass on Saturday there will be no alternative. If anyone, until next Saturday, came up to me and guaranteed that if I vote ‘No’ and divorce isn’t introduced in this country, no more families will break up, then I will be the first to vote against it. But we all know that in reality, this is impossible,” he said.

“With the introduction of divorce, children will suffer as much as they do in separations and annulments. Kids suffer when their father abuses their mother, if a parent leaves home, if parents fight.

“Children will always suffer, but what we have to see is how much can we protect kids from this trauma, and help prevent children born into a second marriage that already exists from being second class,” he said.

One listener Jacqueline Barbara said she is against divorce because it increases failed marriages, cohabitation and domestic violence, but knows that without divorce these problems will still occur and it is deceptive to think that divorce will make Malta heaven on Earth. She suggested that couples be better prepared for marriage.

Muscat agreed, saying people in civil marriages have no preparatory courses for marriage.

Muscat believes that after the divorce referendum, there will be a shift in Malta’s political landscape.

“We took a clear position here, while the PN took a confessional stand. Gonzi and friends have hijacked the PN and taken it back to the pre-Fenech Adami days.”

Muscat emphasised that the value of compassion is supreme in Maltese society, and urged for people to show solidarity with those who are suffering.