Updated | Divorce bill passes as Gonzi confirms ‘no’ in final parliamentary vote

Divorce bill passes as Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi confirms his repeated 'no' vote against the amended and completed divorce bill in the final vote in third reading.

25 July 2011, 12:00am
by Nestor Laiviera

2 min read

10:52 Divorce Bill passes with 52 MPs voting in favour, 11 voting against, and five abstaining.

Among those voting against the Bill was Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who earlier had also voted against the bill on a matter of conscience during the second reading of the bill.

He has now confirmed what he said in his parliamentary speech when he confessed that he would vote against the bill in all its stages in parliament.

Those others who voted against the Bill were Frederich Azzopardi, Jason Azzopardi, Tonio Borg, Giovanna Debono, Louis Deguara, Beppe Fenech Adami, Austin Gatt, Philip Mifsud, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Edwin Vassallo.

Five MPs abstained: Francis Agius, Tonio Fenech, Mario Galea, Peter Micallef, Clyde Pulis.

The voting patterns show that, out of a cabinet of nine, five members voted against, one abstained, and three voted in favour.

Labour MP Adrian Vassallo, who has been previously warned against the consequences of his ''no' vote in the bill's second reading, was absent from today's parliamentary sitting and votes.

10:08: The house has been adjured for 30 minutes.

9:25 A division vote was requested by Labour MP Joe Mizzi, who argued that a vote was required given how the amendments in question affected the referendum question which he said enjoyed the mandate of the public.

Only eight MPs – four cabinet members – voted against the Bill when voting in the committee stage as the amendments were read out in turn and approved. Peter Micallef abstained, while Clyde Pulis and Louis Deguara were away for the vote.

The MPs who voted against were Frederick Azzopardi, Giovanna Debono, Beppe Fenech Adami, Prime minister Lawrence Gonzi, Austin Gatt, Philip Mifsud, Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Edwin Vassallo.

The other 58 MPs voted in favour.

Later on, the House will vote on the Third Reading, the final vote in the legislative process.

More from Nestor Laiviera

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10:52 Divorce Bill passes with 52 MPs voting in favour, 11 voting against, and five abstaining. To the 52 MP's who voted in favour so that the will of the people is respected, this Maltese nation salutes you. To the 11 MP's who voted against, this Maltese nation deplores you. SEI TUTTI PUPPAZZI DELLA CURIA. To the 5 MP's who abstained, this Maltese Nation considers you unfit to represent this nation in it's highest institution. To the blessed MP who went missing in action, this Maltese Nation considers you as the biggest coward in Maltese History.

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@ human torch. Bicca ta injorant huwa int u hadd hliefek ja bicca ta pastaz. Jien ghandi twemmin u ghandi dmir li niddefendi it-twemin tieghi dak nisrani. Jien kontra id-divorzju kont, ghadni u nibqa u zgur li qatt mhu ser nerga nivvota labour. Taf meta tkun taf kemm int gharef int habib, Meta trid jew ma tridx, jogbok jew ma jogbokx ikollok tmur quddiem ALLA humbadd hemmhekk tkun taf tassew xi kwalita ta gidra int.

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Ghawdxi ta vera...Quddiem Alla mhux dawk li vvutaw IVA ghad divorzju ser jiddejqu jidrhu izda dawk l-ipokriti shabek tal PN li gabhu lil Malta ghal kubtejha bid dejn u billi kissri il familji. Id divorzju huwa biss dritt civili ja biccca ta njorant!!!

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ghawdxi ta veru.. Kellu xi ghazla ohra ?....Tinshiex li J.P.O.kien lest imur kontra ir rieda tal P.M. kemm il darba ikun hemm il Foul Play. Taf x`jien ninnota, li ghandha il Prim Ministru il hin kollu irrikattat. Ma jistax ibb..ss, ghax jaqlahha min kull naha. Infatti tant ma huhiex ikkalkulat li ghaddiet ligi importanti, minghajr il kunsens tieghu. Prim Ministru ta l-isem biss gie Gonzi.

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Sinjuri, Tafu x'innutajt. Li il Prim Ministru Gonzi minkejja li hu personali kontra id-divorzju, ta verament vot hieles lid-deputati tieghu u ma hedded lill-hadd bil-konsegwenzi. L-irgiel hekk ikunu. Issa id-divorzju gawduh u meta tmorru quddiem ALLA l-imbierek gawdu aktar. Ifirhu ghorrief.

Joseph Sant •

"Id-divorzju huwa hazin u jien kontra tieghu" - ghandek kull dritt Ghawdxi ta' veru. U s-soluzzjoni ghalik hija facli hafna - TUZAHX! . Lanqas jien m'ghandi bzonn jew behsiebni nuza d-divorzju (baghali zmien ukoll! :D ) imma b'danakollu ma jfissirx li jien ghandi jew qatt jista' jkolli d-dritt li nimponi dak li nhoss u nemmen jien fuq haddiehor. Kieku kulhadd fehem dan il-punt konna nevitaw hafna hela ta' zmien u energija.

Micheal Bonanno •

Kemm qeghdin titbaqbqu fuq ix-xejn. Issa d-divorzju dahal Malta. Kull ma rridu naghmlu hu, li noqghodu attenti li ma niegux bzonnu! Ma nafx ghalfejn dan it-tbaqbieq kollu meta, nispera, li hadd minnha m'ghandu bzonnu. Jalla juzawh biss dawk li vera ghandhom bzonnu. U kif giet maghmula l-ligi, vera se tkun iebsa li tiehu d-divorzju kif gieb u lahaq. Dwar il-figuri. Huma x'inhuma l-persentaggi u kif taqrahom, il-voti validi mitfugha jghoddu. Xejn izjed u xejn inqas. Min ma vvutax ghax ried hu u ma nahsebx li gie mgieghel biex ma jivvutax. Jew inkella beza jivvotaw iva, u zamm lura. Mhux billi jinghad, il-Knisja kellha nfluwenza kbira fil-votazzjoni. U jekk noqghodu fuq il-persentaggi tal-voti, jekk noqghodu kif jghid Austin Gatt, la ghandna ndipendenza, u lanqas dhalna fl-Unjoni Ewropea. U li kieku kif qieghed jghid l-Ghawdxi ahna ntegrati ma' l-Ingilterra u ilna 56 sena kieku. Issa, ir-referendum jekk kienx konsultattiv jew le, dik kellu jaraha l-PM. Kien jaf x'qieghed jaghmel. Haseb, li bil-knisja u l-ghaqdiet psewdo-kattolici warajh kien se jirbah ir-referendum. Imma gharralu. Il-poplu (jekk ivvotawx 48% jew 38% favur, hu rrelevanti) qallu li jrid id-divorzju. Il-PM kellu d-dmir ibaxxi rasu ghar-rieda tal-poplu. Il-PM ma giex elett mill-kattolici biss, imma minn hafna nies ohra ta' denominazzjonijiet u twemmin ohra. Il-PM mhux tal-kattolici biss, imma tal-Maltin kollha. Dwar il-kuxjenza, il-PM ma kellux triq ohra. Il-kuxjenza serrahha dakinhar li mar jivvota fir-referendum, ghax kien qieghed jirrapprezenta lilu n-nifsu biss u lill-hadd izjed. Fil-Kamra tar-Rapprezentanti, il-PM kien qieghed jirraprezenta lill-Maltin kollha, mhux lil kuxjenza tieghu. Dak kien dmiru li jivvota iva u xejn izjed. Ikunu xi jkunu u tinterpretaw kif tinterpretaw il-figuri, il-maggoranzi tal-voti marru favur il-ligi tad-divorzju. Ghalxejn targumentaw li hemm dawk li ma vvutawx iridu jigu rraprezentati wkoll. Mela jien ma riedx nidhol fil-UE, u hafna ohrajn bhali. Min se jirraprezentani lili? Ma nghidux cucati hbieb.

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@ lilkom kollha li irrispondejtuni. Sant kellu kull dritt li jghid li dawk li ma marrux jivvotaw IVA fir-referendum tal-ewropa allura huma kontra l-ewropa. Bl-istess mod nirraguna jien li dawk it-30% li astjenew milli jivvotaw IVA fir-referendum mhumiex favur id-divorzju u meta tghodd kollox ma kollox mit-total ta nies li kienu eliggibli jivvotaw kienu biss 38% li qalu iva bl-aktar mod car. Dan li qieghed nghid huwa fatt u jekk skond inthom jien qieghed nghid il-hmerijiet allura ikollkom tammettu li Dr Alfred Sant kien qal il-hmerijiet. Pero lili qed tghiduli li jien Nazzjonalist ghax kontra id-divorzju, Staqsu lill-giovann demartino, Dan lili qalli li jien Laburist ghax ikkritikajt lill-gvern ta gonzi. HA HA HAJ, Qeghdin sew f'dan il-pajjiz verament tad-dahq. Meta ktibt kontra gonzi hadd minnkom ma qalli li jien Nazzjonalist jew laburist u meta nikteb kontra id-divorzju tghiduli li jien Nazzjonalist akkanit. Jien cittadin liberu, Dak li nhoss nghidu bla tlaqliq. Id-divorzju huwa hazin u jien kontra tieghu u kontra minn ikkonvinca lin-nies favur haga hazina u li Alla jobghod u liberu ukoll li nikritika lill-Gonzi fuq il-kwistjoni tal-onorarja u nghidlu li hu insensittiv.Pero fuq tad-divorzju ma nistax nikkundanna lill-gonzi li ivvota kif ivvota. Din hija l-opinjoni tieghi, Issa ghiduli Nazzjonalist jew laburist kemm tridu, Fl-ahhar mill-ahhar li jghodd huwa x'nitfa fil-kaxxa dak inhar li jigi il-vot f'idi. Sahha lill-kullhadd.

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dejjem tnaqqas dr gonzi ftit iehor u tispicca zero. l aqwa li ghandek lill dak li kisrek WISTIN GATT U LILL TONINU IL MUCCU GHAX DAK MHUX CUC U IL DWINU VASSALLO DAK IL PASTAS PULIT LILL QADDISA GIOVONNA IMSOMMA IT TMIENJA LI INTOM. ISSA VERU GEJTU OTTU

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@ Ghadwxi veru Qed tfakkarni f'xi hadd jismu Fredu Sant!

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Il Paladin tad-demokrazija rega ivvota kontra ir-rieda tal maggoranza.

Isabelle Borg •

U l-kummiedja tkompli......

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@Ghawdxi ta' veru: Siehbi jiena Ghawdxi bhalek, imma nzertajt Laburist u peres li l-Partit tieghi halliena fil-libert kif nivvutaw jiena l-vot tieghi mar ma tal-Le ghax jiena hassejt li bid-divorzju ser inkunu ghar imma llum bl-emmendi li ghamlu fil-parlament nghid li t-tfal huma kkaverjati sewwa kif jixirqilhom u ghalhekk jiena nghid li kieku kont naf li l-ligi tad-divorzju ser tkun kif inhi llum kont nivvota iva avolja jiena KATTOLIKU u mmur il-quddies u nqerr u nitqarben il-kuxjenza ma kienetx tniggizni zgur. Issa dwar il-persentaggi li semmejt inti ta' Sant u mhux Sant, ha nghidlek siehbi. Sant kien qal hekk li jew nivvotaw le, jew inhassru l-vot jew ma mmorrux nivvutaw allura Sant kellu daqsxejn ragun jghid li gab dak il-persentagg. Pero' din id-darba l-partit tieghek mmexxi minn Dr. Wenzu qalilna biex nivvotaw le u ma qalx biex ma mmorrux nivvotaw jew inhassruh, hekk jew mhux hekk. Allura m'ghandux dritt jghid li ghandu 62% warajh u jekk vera jahseb li ghandu 62% warajh x'qieghed izommu milli jaghjjat elezznoi issa ghax bi 62% itella 37 deputat f'parlament ta' 65. U bilhaqq minn dawk is-62% irid inaqqas tieghi ghax jiena m'inhiex warajh zgur lanqas jekk jghamillil-ilma jizfen.

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Lil- Ghawdxi ta' veru : Meta tikteb hmerija bhal m'ghamilt meta wsalt ghal-konkluzzjoni li 62 % jew kienu kontra jew ma esprimewx pozizzjoni dwar id-divorzju, meta taf li kienu 47 % BISS li kienu KONTRA, u ghidt li dawk il 62 % kellhom bzonn min jirrapprezentahom fil-parlament - jigifieri bil-vot LE - bilfors li jkun hemm min jghidlek li ma tafx x'qed tghid, biex ma nghidlekx il-kelma " cuc " ! Ghamel zball min qallek li jikkumpatik " ghax int Ghawdxi ". M'hemm ebda differenza bejn " cwiec Maltin " u " cwiec Ghawdxin ". Bhal ma hemm ebda differenza bejn " Maltin mhux imzazaen " u " Ghawdxin mhux imzazen ". Jien ghandi hbieb Ghawdxin intelligentissimi bhal ma ghandi l-istess maltin. Xorta pero nghidlek li ZBALJAJT meta uzajt l-istess argument banali li uza l-ministru Austin Gatt, lBil-haqq, x'se jghidilna Giovann DeMartino dwar il-vot ta'dalghodu fil-parlament ?? Eddy Privitera

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lil Ghawdxi ta' veru... vera immexxi minn mniehrek sal-warrani biex targumenta qisek xi wistin ta' marsalforn. Halli ngiebek inse....dan min meta qbadt u ghoddejt li dawk li ma vvutawx ghax ma riedux id-divorzju....jien bhalek ghawdxi u go familti hemm min kien mbezza mill-infern li jekk imorru u jghidu IVA imbaghad huma ghall-infern ghax hekk qalulhom u werwruhom dawk l-erwieh tajba li ghandna habojb.... li kieku riedu jghidu LE xejn ma kien hemm xi jzommom u jmorru jivvutaw anzi kien mweghda l-mistrieh ta dejjem bhal Wenzu ta kuxjenza safja.... Faqqas subajk ghax gejja l-elezjoni.....jekk mohhkom mistrieh gha xma tfaqqawiex issa/.... ..din id-darba mintomx ser terghu tqabbzu d-debba habojb?

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Mela l-prim ministru - minhabbia l-kuxjenza " Kattolika ferventi " li ghandu, rega vvota kontra l-ligi tad-divorzju, minkejja li l-partit tieghu qabel mal-emendi li saru. Pero din l-istess kuxjenza " Kattolika ferventi " li ghandu, ma niggzitux meta l-bierah stess IVVINTA GIDBA SFACCATA fuq Joseph Muscat u l-PL, dwar li storja li dehret xi 3 gimghat ilu dwar dik li spluzzjoni li nstemghet minn Had-Dingli u r-Rabat u l-vicinanzi, u li sa llum HADD ghadu ma ta' spjegazzjoni taghha ! Ara kif qatt jista Joseph Muscat jindahal xi stejjer jidhru fuq It-Torca jew l-Orizzont , meta dawn il-gurnali huma tal-GWU . Daqs kemm Lawrence Gonzi qatt jista jigi akkuzat ghal -kull storja li tidher fit-Times ! Jew hu ghandu l-poter jindahal lit-Times x'jidher u ma jidhirx fiha, u qed jahseb li l-gurnali taL-gwu HUMA WKOLL JIGU MMANIPULATI MILL-pl ?? iIkompli jikkonvincini li IVVINTA dik il-gidba fuq Joseph Muscat minhabba l-vot LE li hu kien jaf li se jivvoota llum fil-parlament. Haseb li b'dik il-gidba forsi jirnexxilu johloq diversiv ! Prim meta se tibda verament tghati kas tal-kuxjenza tieghek, u mhux biss meta jaqbillek ?!

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@ xprun. Il-figuri hdimthom ezatt u preciz kif kien hadem Alfred sant il-figuri tar-referendum tal-ewropa u sahansitra kien hareg il-poplu jiccelebra il-Marsa. Tiftakar jew insejt? Issa jekk jien li irragunajt bhall Dr Alfred sant, Skond int jien xi cuc ghawdxi allura tahseb li Dr Alfred Sant kien Zbaljat u cuc bhali!!! Le. La jien u lanqas Sant ma ahna cwiec . Il-verita hi wahda . Li minn kull minn kellu id-dritt li jivvota fir-referendum kienu biss 38% li urew il-pozizjoni cara fuq id-divorzju. Il-punt hu li hadd ma ghandu ghalfejn jitkabbar u jsemmi ir-rieda tal-poplu biex jigi ikritikat il-Prim Ministru. Ghax is-62% li ivvotaw le jew astjenew huma parti mill-poplu ukoll. B'dan ma jfissirx illi l-elezzjoni ta sentejn ohra ser jirbaha il-PN jew Il-PL zgur. L-elezzjoni tintrebah jew tintilef skond minn ikun l-aktar kredibbli, serju u jkun ta rizultati. Taf x'nghid sur xprun illi meta nikritika lill-gvern ta'Gonzi hadd ma jajjarni fuq dan is-sit, Pero meta nikritika b'xi mod lill-oppozizjoni jinqala xi bravu bhalek tajjarni b'ghawdex u mhux b'ghawdex.Ghandek tkun taf li l-ghawdxin huma hafna serji minnek u minn kull minn jahsibha bhalek fuqna l-ghawdxin. Inselli Ghalik Sur bravu!!!!!! Jalla il-MADONNA TA 'PINU tghinek timmatura.

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Toqghodux tiktbu u titolbu r-rizenja tal-Kapo tafux ghax fl-ahhar jibda jaghmel xi wahda u jisma l-ghajta u k-karba tal-poplu u mhux biss jirrezenja imma li ma jmurx ifettillu jghajjat xi elezzjoni ghax bhaliss ahna l-Laburisti ninsabu minn taht hafna u huma n-Nazzjonalist (dejjm kif smajt) ghandhom xi 60% tal-voti zguri ghax qalu li ghall-elezzjoni anke l-mejtin nazzjnalisti ser iqajmu halli jivvutaw. Ha ha ha ha. Wenz x'ghamilt b'idejk, issa iftah sidrek u ffronta n-nies halli l-kuxjenza ma tnigzikx iktar jahasra li ma jmurx jigrilek xi haga Wenz.

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I think it will be more suitable to start calling you Dun.Lorenzo (as part time priest) and bring John Dalli as a PM! But those who sabotage John Dalli career agree with my proposal?............I wonder

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A neat table of how they voted. With links to MP's e-mails to give them piece of your mind if you want to: http://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/kuxjena-ipokrita-ta-prim-ministru-u-shabu-li-mghadhomx-jirrapprezentawna/

Gilbert Bartolo •

soon we'll have a**-licker Joe/Peppi Azzopardi, the PM's PR consultant who controls discussion/propaganda programmes on state TV bending over backwards to justify gonzi's vote

Paul Sammut •

@ Guidoforte & John Smith: Mhux biss hemm il- prim ministru illi hu kontra il-ligi li ghadda l-parlament iizda anke il-partit fil-gvern hu kontra. Sitwazzjoni INCREDIBLIi.

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jista xi hadd jispjega ghaliex ir-referendum kien KONSULTATTIV u mhux ABROGATTIV?

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@ Ghawdi ta' veru Kemm ghandek ismek addattat ghal dak li ktibt. Min fejn gibthom dawn il-figuri? Qisek Austin Gatt! Imma nsomma nikkumpatik la ghawdxi!

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L-oppozizzjoni tiggverna - ligi tghaddi b'maggoranza mill-oppzozzjoni. Ligi li ghaddiet minghajr il-vot tal-kap tal-gvern. Eventwalita bla precedent fl-istorja tad-demozrazija parlamentary fid-dinja. Pajjiz bla gvern. Minn qed jiggverna?

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Now, those who voted against should immediately resign for going against the will of the people. Let them sleep well at night because they have a clean conscience, but they can NO LONGER represent the people after going against their democratically expressed wishes. http://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/bgonzi-mohhok-mistrieh/ These are the same people who impressed just 1200 voters more in the 2008 election with the "Gonzi=peace of mind" slogan. No know where the peace of mind lies! In their conscience!

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Gonzi u kull minn ivvota kontra, kif ukoll kull min ivvota favur ghax verament dejjem kienu favur, urew kemm huma bnedmin ta' principju.

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Il-Prim Ministru jaghmel sew jivvota kontra il-ligi tad-divorzju ghax huma biss 38% tal-popolazzjoni li ghandhom pozizjoni cara fuq id-divorzju. 62% huma jew kontra jew m'ghandhomx pozizjoni fuq id-divorzju. Allura dawn it-62% m'ghandhomx jigu rispettati. Almenu ghandu jkun hemm xi hadd fil-parlament li izzomm ma dawn it-62%. Ftakru li dawn voti ukoll ghandhom meta tasal l-elezzjoni.

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Ma tarax li Gonzi ma jridx imur fejn zijuh l-infern.

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Niddikjara solennament li hawwadtuli l-osbra wires! (Divorzju) http://andrewazzopardi.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/niddikjara-solennament-li-hawwadtuli-l-osbra-wires-divorzju/

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Din ma nistax nifimha...........Jigifieri ser tghaddi ligi minghajr l-approvazzjoni tal kap tal parlament, jew ahjar il P.M. ? Ghawn xi hadd ( ma hemmx bzonn ikun nazzjonalista ) jghejdli jekk qatt din il haga saret fil parlament Malti jew f` xi parlament demokratiku fid dinja ? Ghax sa fejn naf jien, meta jigri hekk, il P.M jew jirrezenja jew jghamel min kollox sabiex jghajjat elezzjoni bikkrija, bhal ma kien aghmel Dr. Sant. Issa dak iz zmien wiehed biss kien li ma qabilx mieghu, u mhux tlett kwarti tal membri min naha tal gvern. Dawn l-affarijiet ghawn Malta biss isiru.