MPs should vote on divorce according to their conscience - Fenech Adami

Former President Eddie Fenech Adami has warned of ‘disaster’ if Malta introduces divorce, in an address he gave at the University chaplaincy for the theology students’ association on the importance of the family in the state.

He said that recent statements appearing in the media and public reaction seemed to indicate that “people were ready to compromise... thinking the country is ready to go for it [introducing divorce].”

But faced with what could be increased support for divorce, Fenech Adami said this was a wake-up call for a new culture with respect to marriage.

“I do augur that the family will continue to be the basis on which the whole structure of the State is built... not just the wellbeing of individual families, but even in the economic sense. I hope this is the year we stand up and be counted in defence of the family.”

Fenech Adami also said there would be political consequences for either MPs or parties, if they voted against the result of the divorce referendum. “But I still think MPs have to vote in line with their own consciences... should we do away with religious conscience because we live in a secular society? I think it would be disastrous if we do.”

He reiterated his long-held position that divorce should not be decided by referendum. “Morals and ethics are not to be decided by majorities. The questions should not be put to referendum. I don’t think principles are up to be defined by majorities and minorities.”

Fenech Adami raised concern over the ‘difficulty’ for people to “express themselves in religious language”, a feeling shared by a member of the audience who said she found it difficult to communicate religious arguments against divorce.

“It depends who you are talking to," Fenech Adami replied "If you are talking to a non-believer you have to understand his own milieu. But you must not discard the religious argument a priori.”

The former prime minister also said he had “nothing against” a law that protected one spouse against the other, without endangering the institution of marriage. “I believe government is thinking on the same terms with the proposal for a cohabitation law... it is time to redress the situation of injustice, especially for women spouses.”

While the anti-divorce lobby is claiming that cohabitation will increase once divorce is introduced, Fenech Adami as PN leader had pledged a cohabitation law in the Nationalist party’s 1998 electoral manifesto. The law recently resurfaced after Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando tabled a private members’ bill for the introduction of divorce.

Journalist Lourdes Pullicino, who was present in the audience, told Fenech Adami she found it hard to answer arguments by the pro-divorce lobby that divorce would help women in difficult marriages. Fenech Adami replied that whether remarriage could provide happiness, was unclear. "It is right that we are compassionate to these poor people, but it doesn't mean that we jump to the conclusion that divorce is the answer."

Fenech Adami asked the question whether the State was doing enough to uphold the value of family. “Formally, yes. The proper laws to safeguard and promote the family are there. We have detailed provisions in the civil code and the social policy law is replete with measures in favour of the family.

“Is this enough? No. Are we on the brink? We are, but it doesn’t mean we have to accept defeat. I think it is a blessing, we are in a period where we are being made to re-establish the value of marriage.”

He appealed to his audience to consider the writings of both Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II, whom he said had done a lot to reconsider the importance and value of ‘true sexuality’ in love.

“I think Benedict XVI looks at sexuality in the proper sense in the encyclical Deus Caritas Est (God is love). He asks us to understand it as love that is giving not just receiving, ‘a foretaste of the divine’... that’s very strong language.”

He also took issue with 'relativism', calling it "the fundamental problem in society, even in Malta" - an argument he raises regularly in his critique of society - "I think it is the scourge of society, people seeing the truth as they see it."