Anti-abortionist invites Facebook users to oppose gay adoption

The president of the Gift Of Life foundation Paul Vincenti has set up a "virtual demonstration" against the legal adoption of children by same-sex couples, in the wake of comments from the main political leaders which indicate a consensus on gay adoption.

"On 15 January 2013, both political parties took very worrying and vague positions in this matter.  This group is not a movement set-up against homosexual persons. We respect people who have different sexual tendencies," Vincenti, whose Gift Of Life also opposes extending IVF treatment to same-sex couples, says on a new Facebook group to oppose gay adoption.

While so far only the green party, Alternattiva Demokratika, has committed itself in full support of legal adoptions for same-sex couples, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat has personally said he is not against gay adoption although he has ruled out legislating in favour of such adoptions.

On his part, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that it should be government experts to decide what is in a child's best interest when asked whether he agreed with gay adoption or not.

Malta's IVF law, approved by both sides of the House, bans embryo freezing and only extends egg-freezing to opposite-sex couples in a relationship but not to single parents.

While the conservative front in Malta remains an effective part of the electorate - Vincenti himself found political support from the Nationalists to entrench criminal law provisions in the Constitution - the PN's campaign takes a less conservative approach on social issues in 2013. The government's draft cohabitation bill extends the same rights to same-sex couples.