Opposition: no talks on divorce vote

Opposition will call division if necessary on vote to approve divorce bill.

3 June 2011, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

2 min read

Updated at 10:01 - the original version incorrectly referred to Opposition MPs being involved in talks.

Opposition sources have told MaltaToday they are not engaged in talks in a bid to have the controversial divorce bill passed before the House with a relative majority, and not by an individual roll-call vote.

The move, communicated to MaltaToday by PN sources, was said was instrumental to save Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Cabinet ministers and MPs from both sides of the House – who expressed themselves against divorce - from the ‘embarrassment’ of either voting against or abstaining during the vote on the bill, which achieved the backing of 53% of the electorate that voted in a referendum last Saturday.

One MP who spoke to MaltaToday said the talks were held between Nationalist and Labour whips David Agius and Joe Mizzi, shortly after Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando presented the bill for its first reading on Wednesday evening.

Contacted yesterday, both David Agius and Joe Mizzi refused to comment on the matter.

Another MP said that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was briefed about the plan, and would be calling a PN parliamentary group meeting next week where all MPs would be asked not to call for a division at the close of the second reading.

A Labour MP told MaltaToday: “The vote will be coming up in July… if we’re going to be intelligent about it, we won’t call for a division."

But this statement has been contradicted by high-level Labour officials: "We will call for a division if necessary."

The position would however suit the government side, most especially the Prime Minister who took a firm stand against divorce and led his party into taking a stand against divorce. The move would camouflage the Prime Minister’s so far undeclared and uncomfortable position now that he also called for parliament to “respect” the people’s decision.

Other MPs who would vote against the bill are Labour MP Adrian Vassallo, Nationalist MPs Austin Gatt, Frederick Azzopardi, Jason Azzopardi, and Louis Deguara; while Labour MP Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca will abstain as will Nationalist MPs Frans Agius, Charlò Bonnici, and Philip Mifsud.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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From now on my vote will go to AD both both parties cannot be trusted pn is in a mess and the pl has a mess of a leader

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http://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/it-tabella-tal-kuxjenza-ipokrita/ - ISSA AGGORNATA LI TINKLUDI LIL TAL-LABOUR

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Din tal-Kuxjenza hija hrafa. erezija. ha nghidlek, mela kontijiet tad-dawl u ilma gholjin wisq, ghandek kemm ghandek paga . Affarijiet ta l-ikel dejjem jgholew, Gas dejjem joghola, Fuel , imma possible, tismahhom, jitkelmu fuq il-kuxjenza?! Isma intom qed tghidu hekk rigward il-kuxjenza taghkom personali( Suppost) Intom qedghin fil-parlament ta! mela qedghin go xi knisja? Forsi ser idahlu l-piena tal-mewt? Min qed jghid u jinkwieta li ma jiflahx jivvota ghar rieda tal-maggoranza li kienet IVA, Nissuggerielu li jirrizenja u jidhol patri, ahjar hekk halli mbgahd joqghod jipriedka ir-religjon . U halluna telfa ma flahtuhiex qazziztuhom lin-nies. Min kollox qedghin taghmlu biex ma taghddiex il-ligi, il-makakkerija hija disgustanti, Possibli hadd ma jghid lin-nies biex jinghaqdu i jipprotestaw pacifikament, halli nuru x'demokrazija hawn, Ahan li qedghin fil-EU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RESIST OR SERVE!

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Niskanta kif Austin Gatt qal li ser jivvota kontra d-divorzju skond il-kuxjenza u fl-istess hin ma kellu ebda kuxjenza jiehu 500 euro fil-gimgha bil-mohbi ma shabu l-ministri u fl-istess hin lilna l-haddiema jaghtuna biss 1.16 euro. X'kuxjenza ghandkom hej - fejn jaqbel inqabbel - hekk qed timxu.

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Those who abstain or vote no should resign! Read this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyVm3dtfBYk

Joseph Sant •

@fehmawvuci I totally agree. However you know as much as I do that the majority of Maltese voters don't vote for the most intelligent or competent candidate. They vote for the person who is most approachable and who can get in a word for them whenever they need anything. Sometimes these two qualities, competence and approachability, coincide and that is always a big bonus. . Any change has to be a two way procress. The voter must learn that politics is not equivalent to personal favours. The candidate has to stop making promises (which they very often can't deliver anyway). Both have to mature into accepting that progress is only achievable through merit.

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@ SILVIO jafu jinkwetaw ghal Malta? Jien taf biex nidhaq imma b' xi familja reali li tixrob flus il-poplu biex tipaxxa.

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Malta votes 'Yes' in divorce referendum http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13588834 Malta votes yes to legalising divorce Largely Catholic nation was last EU member to not allow divorce but country votes for change in law through referendum http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/29/malta-votes-yes-legalising-divorce Malta votes to introduce divorce laws A weekend referendum in the Mediterranean island of Malta found majority support for the introduction of divorce laws. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/31/3231202.htm Sur PM id-Dinja kolha qed tara u tisma, jimporta iggibu RISPETT lil isem Pajjizna, wara ir-rizultat tar-Referendum?

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Malta votes to allow divorce DIVORCE May 29, 2011|By the CNN Wire Staff Green Party members announce the 'yes' vote in the poll to legalize divorce in Malta at a polling station in Valetta Sunday. Voters in the overwhelmingly Catholic country of Malta have elected to allow divorce, the prime minister said. Initial results of a weekend referendum suggest the measure will pass with some 54% of votes in support of the introduction of divorce. Though counting continues, analysts predict the vote will carry and Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi -- who opposed the measure -- has conceded. "Even though the result is not what I wished for, now it is our duty to see that the will of the majority is respected," Gonzi said. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-05-29/world/malta.referendum.divorce_1_malta-divorce-catholic-country?_s=PM:WORLD

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Tabella aġġornata ta' kif se jivvutaw l-MPs dwar id-divorzju u min minnhom se jiġi għala biebu mir-rieda tal-poplu: http://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/it-tabella-tal-kuxjenza-ipokrita/

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The Maltese people must learn their lessons from all this commotion and learn exactly what kind of morons they are electing to represent them in parliament. This should bring to an end the way politics and voting is done in this country. Voting on party lines has created a situation where the electorate has to remain at the mercy of the elected MP's rather than the other way around. If this country has any hope of moving forward and removing the shackles of incompetence from it's politicians, then this votung generation owe it to themselves and their children to pay close attention to every elected MP and ensure they are held accountable for their voting record on this divorce matter. If they were men and women enough to spend 4 million euros to hold a referendum, they should be brave enough to be held accountable to the will of the people. A small island that is on the verge of financial mayhem could not afford to continue speding like a drunken sailor, only to have some MP's ridicule the will of the tax payers who are burdened with their double salaries and hefty pensions and in return are receiving nothing but arrogance, incompetence and irresponsible behaviour. THEY CAN EITHE LEAD FOLLOW OR GET OUT OF THIS NATION'S LIFELINE.

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Dr Joseph Muscat, Do not let Dr Lawrence Gonzi hoodwink you ! He has already succeeded once, when you agreed with him on the false declarations submitted by candidates in the last euro election. Do not be an accomplice in this attempt to save Gonzi's skin. Remember that the people will remember, when the time to vote comes, who served their interests or those of the PM !

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biex jghollu il kontijiet ta dawl u l-ilma jaqbdu u jgholuwom minajr ma jiehdu l-ebda vot fil parlament. il vot tahh il poplu fir refferendum. jistaw ma jivuttaw xejn, jirangaw li andom jirangaw fuq din il ligi, u tithol b'sehh minajr lebda vott ax il vot tefaw il poplu. kemm se nduru ma lewza

Igor P. Shuvalov •

Mela ma kellniex il-guts li niehdu decizjoni fil-Parlament, infaqna 4miljun Euro biex nghamlu referendum... u xorta qed nippruvaw naharbu mir-responabbilta' li ghabbiena l-poplu biha u li dhalna ghaliha ahna. Issa wasal il-hin u l-waqt li kull Mmembru tal-Parlament juri lill-konstitwenti tieghu x'jiswa.. billi jivvota 'iva' jew 'le' , min joqghod lura u jipprova johloq xi mossa biex ma jkunx maghruf kif se jivvota xi hadd mhux postu fil-Parlament. X'kuxjenza hi li tonfoq il-miljuni biex taghmel referendum imbaghad tistahba wara xi skuza ghax tibza li bil-vot tieghek f'din il-kwistjoni tista' tipperikola li titlef xi vot fl-elezzjoni???

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@ edyjoyce Kulhadd jaqbel li l-ahbar ta' MLCP u sa certu punt ta' Adrian Vassallo kienu sajjeta fil-bnazzi ghax waqt li l-kamp tal-PN qieghed mahkum f'incertezza kif se jagixxu, dawn it-tnejn hargu jikkumentaw qishom tefghu salvauomo lill-PN. Aktar krucjali mid-decizzjoni li hadu hu l-mument li fih ghazlu li jikkumentaw. Jidher li jew m'ghandhomx sens ta' maturita meta huwa ghaqli li ghandhom jikkumentaw jew huma qed jilghabu, ghal xi raguni jew ohra, il-loghba ta' Gonzi. Ghalhekk nahseb li i-futur politku taghhom spicca, kif huma stess stqarrew li mhux se johorgu ghall-elezjoni li jmiss. . Ghalhemm jidher li hemm hafna manuvri li ahna ma nafux bihom.

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Ghalfejn Gonzi ddecida li jaghmel referendum? Biex issa joqghod idur mal-lewza ghax ir-rizultat ma giex kif jaqbel lilu? Allura x'demokrazzija hi din? . Kien Gonzi li ha d-decizjoni li jaghmel referendum; ghalhekk huwa responsabbli minn dan il-kjaz kollu. M'ghandux ikun hemm aktar tidwir mad-decizzjoni li ha l-poplu. . Il-membri parlamentari qablu ma' Gonzi li jmorru jikkonsultaw lill-eletorat, u l-eletorat qallhom car hafna xi jridd avolja kien hemm kull tip ta' tfixkil biex il-kamp tal-le jirbah. Ghalhekk il-membri parlamentari issa ghandhom jivvota skond ir-rida tal-maggoranza li hija IVA bil-kbir, meta tikkonsidra c-cirkostanzi kif thalla jsir ir-referendum, bl-involviment ta' hafna kapijiet ta' dipartimenti, gideb sfrenat, manipulazzjoni minn parti tal-kleru, ecc, ecc. . X'democrazzija hi din??????

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Iccekkjajat biex nara kemm hu veru dan li qed jinkiteb fil-blogs, u sibt li MHU VERU XEJN ! Jekk Gonzi haseb li se jdahhal lill-PL fli xkora biex jibqa jidher sabih mal-Knisja u ma jintinx man-nazzjonalisti li vvutaw IVA, se jgharralhu !

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Jidher car li din l-istorja hi KOLLHA INVENZJNI. Konvint li l-PL mhux se jaqa fin-nassa tal-PN li jridu jaraw x'jghamlu biex isalvaw wicc il-prim ministru, li issa anke l-akbae forcini li kellu, hargu kontra tieghu. U qed jghidulu li jekk ma jivvutax IVA fil-parlament, imissu JIRRZENJA !

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Waqqajtu il-kelma demokrasijja ghaz zufjett. Jippjanaw, jikkonfoffa, jahbu, jawgu, minn wara dahar il-poplu biex attaparsi qed jimxu mal volonta tal poplu. Iz-zmien tal verita tasal ghall kullhadd umbadd toqodhux tigu thabbtuna id-dar. Mahniex se ninsew.

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Here's a suggestion: Have a vote to make the referendum binding. . Then again, parliament has already shown themselves to be wimps by not tackling this matter when it was first presented. To refuse AGAIN would make them all look like abject cowards. . Why should we vote for people who don't even have the guts to take a simple decision AFTER the citizens have spoken?

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It seem that both parties never learn their lesson - Have you already forgotten that 90,000 did not vote cause it's situations like this that make a mockery out of the majority. We want to hear a YES VOTE loud and clear, the people have spoken, or believe me next time their will be half of Malta that will not vote on both sides of the parties. And what about AD, didn't they give their share as well during the referendum. POWER TO THE PEOPLE

eleonoray86cws Ca?uana •

Only one party can be trusted - AD

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One thing which greatly affected the outcome of the divorce referendum and which has not yet come to light is the extent and source of financing. . When these two elements are made known, one could appreciate more the extent of the YES vote. The financing element was intended to suppress a yes victory, and it has surely managed to confuse people to stay away from voting. Without such finance the yes vote would have easily reached 60%. That is TWO THIRDS of the electoral vote. . Notwithstanding the clear message from the electorate, a large number of OUR representatives are hiding behind the ‘conscious’ excuse. Once the electorate has delivered its verdict, this excuse is no longer valid. All members of parliament who have a difficulty in voting yes should resign now before the vote is taken.

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. It's true, but all are seeing how some MPs are acting, even the PM. Maybe would be better for all, since THE LAW WILL PASS! IF NOT THAN THE PEOPLE MIGHT GO IN THE STREETS??!! So let's see what MPs we have, when they vote for the law. That's why I think for the best interest of the nation, the PM must act and passes this law quickly, all countries have this law, we are almost the last country in the world. So they allready have so many divorce laws to see upon.... The sooner this theatrical finishes ,the better for our country.

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aghna li ivvutajna iva iridu inkunu nafu kief kul membru fil parlament ha jivvota, jekk le inhegeg lil kul min ivvota iva biex f'lezjon ma jivvutax.

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I prefer that each MP declares his/her intention. In this way we would know who is respecting the will of the majority which is sovereign. But I think 'li gejja qassata ohra Maltija' Oh what a country!

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Tal-biza. Kif jistghu jizzufjettaw daqshhekk bil-poplu il-parlamentari taghna. Verament kont nistenna ahjar min Dr joseph Muscat. Izda addio trasparenza. U hekk m'hawnx trasparenza fl-ghola istituzzjoni tal-pajjiz jistghu l-kbarat jistennew certu onesta u trasparenza mill-poplu?

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wHERE ARE ALL THOSE ANTI-CLERICALS WHO ALWAYS see wrong in the Church forgetting the great good and charity that the Chutch does. The Church respected the referendum result but the political parties no. Now please can you tell me which institutions do you prefer - The political parties who do not know how to take a stand or the Church which is true to herself and was rightly so against divorce?

duncan abela •

It makes a lot of sense that both politcal parties come to some sort of agreement re the introduction of divorce without a division being forced. Those of us who are not interested in political manoeuvring and games (other than analysing them) do not care who votes for ,against or abstains as long as the divorce law gets on the statute book asap . There is no doubt that a vote can be an embarrassment and produce casualties in both parties especially individual MPS who do not follow the majority trend within their party. An agreement would on one hand get members of government mostly conservative and no doubt having real conscience problems out of the dilemma of having to square the circle of discharging their democratic duties and at the same time not abandoning their ethical beliefs and conscience. Nor will the opposition be free of problems and come out unscathed if a division is forced. They already lost some credence coupled with a perceived sniff of intolerance in the MLC case and will lose more if any of the other PL conscientious objectors are in any way pressurised to vote Yes. Let us hope for quick resolution of this divorce issue once civil society has spoken for there are so many other important issues on which we need to focus attention.

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Halli ghalieh Jason Azzopardi ghax ma marx qassis flok iz-zeweg.

Tony Sultana •

All this calculation even though the people expressed unequivocally their will. Parliament is in need of a clean sweep. New Malta needs progressive elements not greedy parliamentarians with a mentality of colonial Malta. We want parliamentarians’ who live in a real world and not ones who still live in a time-wrap. For those MPs who cannot adhere to a democratic decision there is only one thing to do, call it a day. Shame! Shame! Shame!

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Il-poplu ghandu dritt ikun jaf min huma dawk li jahsbu li l-kuxjenza taghhom tigi qabel id-demokrazija u r-rieda tal-poplu. S'issa nafu b'zewg cowboys - Austin Gatt tal-PN ghax ghandu rasu kbira u jahseb li hu specjali, u Adrian Vassallo tal-PL li hu arci-konservattiv, kif jghidu, ippatentjat. Dawn it-tnejn qalu li se jivvutaw le u l-leaders tal-partit taghhom ghandom jitolbu vot tal-membri tal-partit f'konferenza generali jekk iridux nies bhal dawn li jibqghu jimmilitaw fil-partit taghhom. Jien lest li naccetta lil min jastjeni - avolja din ukoll hija sinjal ta' disrispett u djghufija - imma QATT ma naccetta lil xi hadd li jivvota le. Qatt.

J Galea •

I hope people realise just how serious these manoeuvres are. A serious undermining of the democratic process.

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What a cop out and a cowardly way out ! unbelievable ! This only shows what a waste of money and time the referendum was !

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Are they serious jew? What a bunch of cowards!! So 53% of the voters are not enough to convince MPs to vote YES!?!?! I really hope the parties do not manage to reach an agreement on this. We all deserve to know exactly who are those MPs who would still vote No or abstein after such a landslide YES victory.

Ian George Walker •

The Divorce debate and referendum has had an unexpected side effect. It is showing us which of out MPs believe in democracy and which of the do not. And those which do not even know what th word means. It is good to know - and to remember. I would have great difficulty in voting for someone who fitrt asks for my opinion and them casts it aside.

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I will never vote for any candidate who does not give a loud and clear YES to this bill - never. Even if it means not voting for the first time in 60 years.

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I think in the end, that what counts, the Law will pass in parlament. Would be good for all the country. There is too much tension. The sovereignity of the People ,must be respected. what counts is that the law will BE. I think that would be in the interest of all and everything. The sooner this Divorce law is done, the better for the country, too much tension is rising.

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If the two main parties are so quick to agree on this hot issue, why haven’t they come to an agreement on other hot potatoes such as party financing and electoral amendments? . An agreement on how to vote on divorce will only suit the PN and will give the impression that the PN has always managed to manipulate the MLP.