Malta President Refuses to Sign Bill if Parliament Passes Measure Legalizing Abortions

The president of Malta has said he will resign if forced to sign a bill legalizing the killing of unborn babies in abortions, sources close to him told the Times of Malta this week.

President George Vella, a medical doctor by profession, made the comment in response to legislation moving through Parliament that pro-life leaders warn would legalize abortion on demand by “stealth.”

Although lawmakers say the intent of the bill is to clarify that abortions are allowed when the mother’s life is at risk, pro-life leaders say the language is too broad and elective abortions also would be allowed. Malta is one of the few countries in Europe that protects unborn babies’ right to life.

Vella, who holds strong pro-life views, has not commented publicly about the bill, but sources close to him said he privately expressed concerns about a broad “health” exception, according to the report.

“You have either killed or not killed, there can be no half-death. I’m very clear, there are no ifs and buts,” he said in 2021 in response to a different pro-abortion bill.

If the bill passes and Vella resigns, it would be a historic statement in defense of unborn babies’ right to life. No president has ever resigned in the history of Malta, the Times reports.

However, according to the news outlet, the president basically has “no executive power, essentially obliging the holder to sign whichever law is approved by a democratically elected parliament. If Vella opts to resign, the bill could be signed by the acting president unless he chooses to wait for a new president’s appointment.”

Maltese pro-life leaders support exceptions for abortion when the mother’s life is at risk, but they said the bill goes too far by allowing abortions for broad “health” reasons. In the United Kingdom and other countries, the term “health” is very broadly defined in abortion laws to include basically anything; some abortionists say pregnancy itself is a “health risk,” therefore justifying the killing of unborn babies for any reason up to birth.

Last week, Parliament passed the first reading of the bill, and a final vote could occur before Dec. 19, the start of Christmas break. To become law, legislation must pass three readings and then receive the president’s signature.

Prime Minister Robert Abela and Health Minister/Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne support the bill, asserting that it will not be as expansive as pro-life advocates say.

ACTION ALERT: To oppose this pro-abortion bill, Contact lawmakers in Malta.

However, Fearne also rejected a proposed amendment by 80 leading medical professionals, lawyers, ethicists and academics that would ensure that Malta continues to protect unborn babies’ lives.

Here’s more from Newsbook:

Fearne made clear that he was ruling out “crusades, like the one the opposition leader is on,” and he is also ruling out the proposed wording put forward by 80 academics and activists opposed to what they describe as a bill introducing abortion by “stealth.”

Life Network Foundation Malta, which supports the amendment, is asking people to sign a petition to the prime minister. Find it here.

“The updated wording would ensure that the proposed law is limited to the current policy where doctors can always act to save the life of the mother, even if this results in the undesired death of the baby, but will not legalize abortion in Malta,” the pro-life organization said.

Malta pro-life leaders also are organizing a national protest at 3 p.m. Dec. 4 at Castille Square in Valletta.

Recent polls indicate the country supports strong protections for unborn babies. According to Lovin Malta, a 2020 survey found overwhelming public opposition to abortion, with just 5.2 percent of residents saying they support unrestricted access to abortion in the first trimester.

Malta has resisted international pressure to legalize abortion for years. In 2013, pro-abortion groups accused Malta of “torture” because its laws protect unborn babies’ lives. The accusation came from the International Commission of Jurists, a human rights organization, in a report to the Human Rights Council. It also claimed Malta is unnecessarily endangering women’s lives by prohibiting abortions.

Until recently, a number of European countries protected unborn babies by prohibiting abortions. However, Ireland abandoned its pro-life laws in 2018 and Northern Ireland was forced to legalize abortion 2019 by the British Parliament.

Abortions are illegal in almost all cases in Poland, but Malta is the only European country that fully protects unborn babies from abortion.

ACTION ALERT: To oppose this pro-abortion bill, Contact lawmakers in Malta.

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