Doctors For Life Ask Robert Abela To Clarify Possible ‘Pro Abortion’ Pledge In PL Manifesto
Pro-life group Doctors For Life have raised concerns over the Labour Party’s electoral proposal for sexual health policy, over concerns that their 506th proposal could be construed as ‘pro-abortion’.
They took to address the matter in a press release.
“DFL strongly affirms that killing of early human life is unethical and that the right to life should always be safeguarded,” they wrote.
“To this end, we are appealing to the Prime Minister, who has on numerous occasions clearly stated his stand against abortion, to urge the PL to issue a statement clarifying what is being defined by ‘drittijiet sesswali u riproduttivi’ and to categorically exclude abortion from this definition.”
“In the absence of the above, DFL will have to assume that the proposal does include the provision of abortion. Thus, whilst remaining politically neutral and not advocating support for any particular party, we will be advising the electorate that supporting proposal 506 of the PL manifesto, as it stands today, may be endorsing the future legislation of abortion.”
Proposal 506 states:
“Nippubblikaw il-politika aggornata dwar is-saħħa sesswali fl-iqsar żmien possibbli. Din il politika għandha tirrifletti r-realtajiet tal-lum fein tidħol is-saħħa u d-drittijiet sesswali u riproduttivi, fid-diversità kollha taghħa. Maghħa ser inniedu pjan ta azzjoni b’għanijiet, miżuri u skadenzi ċari li ¡zommu lill-gvern responsabbli gat-twettiq tal-istess politika.”
Translated in English to:
“We will publish the updated sexual health policy as early as possible. This policy should reflect today’s realities when it comes to health and sexual and reproductive rights, in all their diversity. With it, we will launch an action plan with clear objectives, measures, and deadlines to keep the government responsible for pursuing the same policy.”
Concerns from the Doctors For Life stem from the term “d-drittijiet sesswali u riproduttivi (sexual and reproductive rights),” as the term is widely understood to include abortion.
Although Abela has repeatedly come out against abortion, his tone on the issue has noticeably softened throughout the election campaign.
During a recent University of Malta debate, the Prime Minister said that discussion on abortion has already started within Maltese society and that while the PL isn’t going to propose its legalisation in its manifesto, he wants to understand the pain of women who carry out abortions.
This week, he criticised small party ABBA for reporting several pro-choice activists to the police, describing it as an attempt to scare them.
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