Anti-abortion lobby distances itself from Abba Party, Partit Popolari calls for referendum

Life Network foundation disassociates from far-right parties calling for an abrogative referendum on abortion amendments

The Life Network Foundation has disassociated themselves from calls by the Abba Party and Partit Popolari for an abrogative referendum on the amendments to Malta’s abortion laws.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Life Network Foundation said the two parties set up a stall near Parliament during the group’s March for Life on Sunday.

The foundation said the two parties “took advantage of this occasion, setting up a stall near the Parliament outside the scope of the March to collect signatures for an abrogative referendum, a campaign that was started long before the March for Life”.

“The Life Network Foundation necessarily disassociates itself from this initiative because, together with its partners in the Coalition Inti Tista’ Ssalvani, itbrought the necessary changes to ensure that the possibility for the introduction of abortion on demand was avoided.”

“The Life Network Foundation can never support an initiative that unwinds the law that it has actively swayed to ensure that Malta maintains the full protection that was afforded already by the criminal code to the unborn child before these amendments where passed.”

The foundation also pointed out that the law as amended received heavy criticism from the pro-choice movement, while being supported by the President of Malta, the Labour and Nationalist Parties, coalition partners and the Bishops of Malta and Gozo.

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