Gonzi makes plea to government MPs over voting for 'Labour's referendum question'

Updated at 8:54pm with clarification of PM's statement on free vote.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has hit out at the so called “no fault divorce” being proposed in the bill by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Labour Evarist Bartolo, in a last-ditch attempt at securing a majority to defeat a Labour motion proposing the question for a referendum on divorce.

Gonzi said voters will be called to vote in a consultative referendum without a divorce law having been first passed by the House. “Why didn’t we discuss the law in parliament first and then go for the referendum later?”

The PN has already approved a party resolution declaring its opposition to divorce, affording MPs a free vote on legislation on divorce, and that any referendum should only take place if the divorce bill is passed.

The resolution was followed by a Labour motion to hold a referendum with a detailed question asking voters if they agree with divorce after a four-year separation.

“There was no reason why this process could have not allowed us to go for a referendum with a simple question once the law was approved in parliament,” Gonzi said.

Reading a speech during the debate on the Labour motion, Gonzi made an impassioned plea to MPs to consider their vote, claiming they would open the door to “irresponsible divorce”.

“I have left this decision to each and everybody’s conscience. I have allowed the liberty to everyone to vote according to their conscience.

"This is a free vote that has to be exercised by every one of us – especially on our [government] side – with the utmost responsibility. For me as head of the party in government, this is a decision of enormous importance because with this free vote I am releasing such vote from other political considerations tied with the confidence in this government," Gonzi said towards the end of his speech.

Gonzi said he had already asked the Opposition to simplify the question being proposed – which asks citizens whether they agree with divorce after a four-year separation – to one asking voters whether they agree with divorce or not. “I have always insisted the question should be clear, simply and reasonable,” Gonzi told MPs Tuesday evening.

Gonzi, who risks losing the vote against the motion because two of his MPs Jesmond Mugliett and divorce bill promoter Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said they would vote for the motion, accused Muscat of not realising the risk of the way the referendum question had been formulated. “It confuses people’s minds, because it gives rises to numerous interpretations,” Gonzi said.

He insisted the question invited the introduction of a ‘no-fault’ divorce, allowing spouses to divorce instantly after four years of ‘separated’ marriage. “It is chilling to think that this will nullify the separation proceedings, without guarantees of child maintenance… who will choose the separation process now? People will be choosing divorce over separation.”

The divorce bill itself allows spouses not living together for four years, to file for divorce. “It allows wives who are abandoned to be divorced,” Gonzi claimed. “With what is being proposed, some ‘irresponsible’ person can use divorce to run away from the problems of their marriage without any obligations whatsoever.”

Gonzi even accused the law of being “worse than a Las Vegas divorce” claiming it will leave spouses without a remedy, that is otherwise provided in separation proceedings. “This divorce is grossly irresponsible and should impinge upon all 69 MPs’ conscience.”

The prime minister said the divorce being proposed would nullify the Family Court, social workers, and the social welfare agency Appogg. “We’re inviting people to introduce no-fault divorce… the ‘don’t-care’ divorce.”

Earlier, Gonzi reminded MPs that his government had no mandate to introduce divorce, and that a referendum should decide whether divorce should be introduced or not.

Gonzi reaffirmed his personal position against divorce. “I believe it undermines the common good and that there are no circumstances justifying its introduction.”

But he also told MPs that he believed there will be “a time when divorce will be introduced, but until now the statistics show what a strong institution marriage is in our country. So until the statistics prove otherwise, our role as MPs is to strengthen what we have and not weaken it.”

Gonzi also warned MPs of using the example of “so called liberal land and modern countries” that had also experienced problems from having introduced abortion and euthanasia.

He also called on MPs to “understand” that individual desires had to bow to the common good. “It’s not religious, even though I am myself proud of my values and religion… The common good is a matter intimate to any politician, atheist or otherwise.”