Thousands of people protested in Malta today against changes to the country’s strict ban on abortion. The country’s top Catholic bishop and leader of the conservative opposition also took part in the archipelago’s biggest demonstration in years.
Traditionally Catholic, Malta is the only member of the European Union to ban abortion. This applies even if a woman’s life or health is endangered by the pregnancy.
majority against abortion
Health Secretary Chris Fearne recently tabled a motion in Parliament that would ban doctors from being sentenced to up to four years in prison if their help to women with serious health problems terminated pregnancies. So far, however, no doctor has been prosecuted in Malta over such an allegation.
Malta’s powerful Catholic Church, the centre-right opposition and some non-governmental organizations have opposed the proposed change, saying it paves the way for the full liberalization of abortion.
Prime Minister Robert Abela’s government has a comfortable majority in parliament and is also in agreement within the party on the proposed change. However, surveys show that in Malta a large majority of the population is against abortion, including mainly the elderly.