Malta Registered An Average Of One Divorce Per Day For The Last 12 Years
In the 12 years since divorce was legalised in Malta, the islands have seen a total of 4,472 couples divorcing… tallying up to an average of one a day.
Prompted by a PQ by MP Bernice Bonello, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard tabled the figures, which also showed that a further 1,553 couples separated in the last 12 years.
2022 saw the highest divorce rate in Malta, with a total of 524 couples divorcing. Meanwhile, Gozo’s worst year for divorce was back in 2015, when a total of 22 were registered.
Separations, meanwhile, peaked at 134 in Malta on the first year in 2011, and 60 in Gozo, also in 2015.
Speaking of the daily average of Malta and Gozo’s divorces, the last three years have actually exceeded a total of 365 divorces every time, with 2021 registering 381, 2022 peaking at 542, and 2023 hitting 501.
This sharp rise is likely also down to a change in the divorce laws which came in effect in the final days of 2020. While couples had to live apart for four years before they could apply for a divorce, 2020’s change slashed that time down to six months.
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But while these numbers may come across quite alarming, it’s still interesting to note that Malta still has one of the lowest divorce rates in Europe. In 2022, the islands registered just 0.5 divorces per 1,000 persons, a drop from 2019’s 0.7.
Meanwhile, in the first 17 days of 2024, there have already been 19 divorces, seemingly continuing the trend of this decade’s daily average.
Do these figures surprise you?
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