Newly-elected European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has said that she will now adopt the EP’s position on the controversial issue of abortion, which remain illegal and criminalised in Malta. 

MEPs have repeatedly approved legislation that demands that Member States must help women access to safe abortions and adequate sexual health. The European Parliament is clear on abortion; just last June, the EP passed a resolution proclaiming safe access to abortion is a human right. 

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Addressing questions from the press, Metsola said:

“My position is that of the European Parliament on all sexual and reproductive health rights. They have been unanimous in their demands of better protection to help ensure equality, safety, and end gender-based violence.”

“I will continue working as I did when I was Vice President, when I presented a resolution on the topic to the Polish Senate.”

Metsola revealed that she would no longer be voting in the Parliament when faced with questions of her previous voting trends on the issue.

Abortion remains illegal in any circumstance and people who get one are subject to a prison sentence. Worryingly, Malta’s draconian abortion laws are coupled with a primitive sexual health policy that includes terrible sexual health education and product accessibility, meaning that the island’s government has banned abortion but has not done anything to curb the need for it.

Marlene Farrugia in 2021 presented a private member’s bill to decriminalise abortion, but that has not been addressed yet.