Marlene Farrugia calls out PN, PL over silence on abortion bill

Independent MP Marlene Farrugia has called out the Nationalist and Labour Party for their silence on the abortion decriminalisation bill, while defending her position on the topic.

During her adjournment speech in Parliament, Farrugia said that if the two parties don't feel prepared to discuss abortion, it should consider setting up a citizens assembly to discuss whether abortion should remain criminalised, as was done in Ireland.

"If you're cowards, if you're scared to speak about it in here, leave it to the people out there for this to be discussed," she said.

Farrugia went on to reiterate her stance an abortion, maintaining that she still firmly believes that life starts at conception.

"But, since life starts with conception, that doesn't mean that a woman should lose complete control over her rights," she said. "No woman should end up pregnant if she doesn't want to be."

She went on to call not only for decriminalisation, but also for legal structures that regulate abortions once decriminalisation takes place.

"Our first effort in parliament should be to address the lacunas in all areas - including a change in culture on how we view sexual relationships with women. All this, if taken seriously and without fear of discussing it and taking steps at a national level, will help us lower the number of unwanted pregnancies."

Farrugia argued that it takes a lot for a woman to procure an abortion in the first place, and that no woman wants that on their conscience. However, with the taboo placed on abortion, both culturally and due to criminalisation, many women are scared to reach out for advice.

She also hit out at certain arguments that abortion decriminalisation will lead to women getting an abortion at the nine month mark of their pregnancy. 

"What woman is going to carry a child for nine months and then kill it?" she said.

"This is a debate on whether we trust women to make decisions on their life. This is the debate being denied to us in this room. We need to start with this repeal."