Civil marriages outnumbered religious in 2018

A total of 2,552 couples tied the knot in Malta during 2018, according to statistics tabled in Parliament by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Of the total number of marriages, 1,423 were civil marriages, while 1,129 were religious marriages, the statistics show.

Civil marriages have continued to grow in popularity in recent years. Malta legalizing same-sex marriages in July 2017 has also contributed to the rise in civil marriages. In fact, data published last week showed that there had been a significant drop in the number of civil unions registered in 2017.

Meanwhile, there were a total of 1,358 couples that filed for separation – 1,311 in Malta and 47 in Gozo.

This information was tabled in parliament by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, who was asked for the average separation rate in 2018.

Elaborating, the minister said that in Malta, 290 notes of amicable separation, 907 letters of mediation in contentious separations and 114 applications for separation case had been filed.

In Gozo, he said there were 11 amicable separations, 34 requests for mediation and 2 applications for a separation case. 

The minister said there were 3.6 separations a day in Malta and just four a month in Gozo.