[WATCH] Bernard Grech keeps door shut on abortion as Metsola courts pro-choice EP

Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech is keeping the door shut on abortion but will respect Roberta Metsola's obligation to promote the European Parliament's pro-choice stance. 

In first comments to MaltaToday after Metsola's election as EP president, Bernard Grech reiterated that the Nationalist Party's position on abortion is clear, regardless of the position Metsola will have to adopt.

"I respect Metsola in her position - no doubt she has an obligation to push the EP's message in the pro-choice direction. No doubt, as Opposition leader, the party's position against abortion is clear, but I've always said that we need to see how to help more women and girls so that they can understand what they're going through but also to help them and see why they resort to that solution," Grech said. 

Metsola vowed to represent the European Parliament's pro-choice position after receiving heavy flak from the European press, especially the French, on her anti-abortion voting record.

Indeed, Maltese MEPs do have a track record of abstaining or voting against parliamentary reports that even hint at abortion – from resolutions on the UN’s millennium development goals, to reports dealing with gender equality and access to abortion services.

An example is the 2015 Tarabella report, which focused on the need to fight poverty and have more women appointed to higher decision-making positions. The Labour delegation had voted in favour of the final resolution, but separately voted against all the clauses referring to abortion.

The Nationalist MEPs – Metsola, David Casa, and Therese Comodini Cachia – voted against the entire resolution, announcing the stand in an official EPP statement saying abortion was their “red line:”.

'I'm happy for the European family'

In a first reaction to Metsola's election, Grech said he was happy that a Maltese woman was chosen to lead the parliament, especially one who is a member of the EPP.

"A Maltese woman, one of us, has reached the top of the European Parliament [...] I'm happy also for the EPP, our European family."

He added that Metsola's election can help restore Malta's international reputation while promoting European ideals.

"I believe Roberta Metsola will make a name for herself and for Malta, and the Nationalist Party will continue to collaborate with her and create value for Europe and Malta," Grech said.