Malta’s parliament passed a law on Wednesday allowing abortion in the EU country for the first time after the previous outright ban. The law was unanimously approved by parliamentarians. After harsh criticism of the first draft by the Catholic Church and the opposition, the updated legal text makes it clear that a woman can have an abortion – but only if her life is in danger.
If there is no immediate danger to the woman, a team of three doctors decides whether the abortion is permissible under the new bill. Furthermore, according to the new law, abortion can only take place if the fetus is not viable and all other recognized medical methods have been exhausted.
In all other cases, abortion remains illegal. So far, in Malta, women who perform abortions face up to three years in prison, while doctors who help them face up to four years in prison.
Abortion advocates welcomed the last-minute amendment to the law. Activists, on the other hand, lamented the missed opportunity for real reform. The law is “cowardly, disrespectful and dangerous” and purely “symbolic”, said activist Maria Pisani. It will serve only to “oppress the weakest in society”.
Human rights organization Amnesty International called the law in its current form “deeply disappointing” and called for access to safe and legal abortions for all. According to European researcher Elisa De Pieri, the necessary approval of three doctors can “lead to fatal delays”.
The trigger for the change in law was a sensational case involving a tourist from the United States that brought to light the strict laws of the only EU country that completely prohibits abortion.
The pregnant woman and her partner were on vacation on the Mediterranean island when their water broke after heavy bleeding. According to doctors, the fetus had no chance of surviving, but due to the ban on abortion in the country, they refused to intervene – despite the danger to the mother’s life. The woman was then taken to Spain. The case made international headlines.