[WATCH] Peppi Azzopardi floats referendum option to repeal abortion amendment

Peppi Azzopardi who is one of the faces fronting the anti-abortion movement believes an abrogative referendum should be held if government’s amendment passes.

Azzopardi said on TVM’s Xtra on Monday night that if the amendment goes through, the next step in his view is to hold a referendum to have the clause deleted.

Some voices opposed to government’s amendment, including former MP Jason Azzopardi, have floated the suggestion of holding an abrogative referendum but this is the first time that a senior figure within the anti-choice movement has put forward such views. 

The popular television presenter, a long-standing campaigner for minority rights, insisted he had to defend unborn babies because they are a voiceless minority.

Government has proposed an amendment to the Criminal Code, which decriminalises abortion if this is needed to safeguard a woman’s life or health. Abortion will remain illegal but the proposed exceptions would provide legal clarity for doctors and women, who currently face the prospect of ending up in jail.

Peppi Azzopardi argued against the health aspect of the amendment, insisting mothers could still be treated without the need to “kill the baby”.

Lawyer and pro-choice advocate Lara Dimitrijevic insisted the amendment speaks of ‘grave risk’ to a woman’s health, insisting that claims it could be used to procure an abortion for frivolous reasons were misplaced.

As the law stands today, women are allowed to reach the precarious point where their life is actually on the line before doctors can intervene to terminate a pregnancy, she added. “This is wrong.”

PN MP Adrian Delia and Labour MP Randolph Debattista on Xtra

Labour MP Randolph Debattista and Nationalist MP Adrian Delia also crossed swords on the issue.

Debattista argued the amendment is intended to safeguard women’s health when this is at grave risk because of complications that arise during pregnancy. “There is a growing body of voices in society calling for the introduction of abortion, who criticise government for not going far enough, which in itself is testimony that the amendment is not introducing abortion,” he said.

Delia said the protection of a mother’s life has always been a principle that doctors upheld but including health as an exception opens up a can of worms. He insisted the government proposal was “abortion by any other name”.

The PN MP said life should be protected from conception.

Anti-abortion activists held a protest in Valletta on Sunday and will be holding a vigil outside parliament on Wednesday at 5:30pm.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that government is willing to tweak the amendment but has insisted the two principles – safeguarding women’s health and life – will not be watered down.

READ ALSO: Robert Abela won’t back down on health principles of abortion amendment