'Abortion' debate: PN says PM has no mandate, urges public to stand up for 'value of life'

The Nationalist Party calls for Prime Minister Robert Abela to withdraw legal amendment

PN said it expects the PL to stop the Prime Minister from pursuing the legal amendments
PN said it expects the PL to stop the Prime Minister from pursuing the legal amendments

The Nationalist Party said that Prime Minister Robert Abela does not have a mandate from the electorate to introduce abortion and called for the amendment proposal to be withdrawn.

In a statement on Saturday, PN urged the public to make their voices heard against the “introduction of abortion” in Malta, which it said the government had no mandate on and that ran counter to the “value of life”.

Parliament is discussing legal amendments that will remove liability from doctors and pregnant people who undergo medical intervention that results in an abortion.

In Parliament PN leader Bernard Grech had said that the amendment was introducing abortion through the back door. He even ridiculed American woman Andrea Prudente, whose case kick-started the abortion debate earlier this year, a move which was condemned by NGO Moviment Graffitti.

“The Nationalist Party expects Robert Abela to withdraw the Bill introducing abortion in our country, since he does not have a mandate from the people to do so. Robert Abela should stop trying to impose a Law that introduced abortion in our country, knowing that the majority of the Maltese and Gozitan people are against the introduction of abortion in our country,” PN said.

It stated that Abela’s behaviour is “irresponsible, anti-democratic and a serious threat to pregnant women, unborn babies and health professionals.”

PN said it expects PL to act and stop the Prime Minister from pursuing the legal amendments.

“PN MPs are united in a strong message against the introduction of abortion in our country and are actively and consistently participating in the discussion in Parliament,” the statement said.

The party emphasised that a large number of academics, doctors, experts, well-known personalities, former politicians, persons of different political views, NGOs and the Church in Malta, were speaking out and acting for “life and against abortion”.

PN concluded by saying that in Parliament, Labour MPs were distancing themselves from the abortion talk and were attacking anyone who spoke in favour of life.