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Leading Maltese Pro-Choice Activist Sees Ray Of ‘Hope’ As Politicians Point Fingers Over Abortion Ban

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One of Malta’s leading pro-choice activists is viewing the latest dispute between PL MP Rosianne Cutajar and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola over Malta’s total abortion ban with a sense of hope.

“While women’s health should definitely not be used as a political football and these two should engage in less finger-pointing and more action, I cannot but pause for a moment and feel a sense of hope that two Maltese female politicians from different political parties are openly arguing about who should be doing something on our draconian abortion legislation,” Andrea Dibben wrote on social media.

In Parliament last night, Cutajar called out Metsola for ‘political hypocrisy’ after the European Parliament President criticised the US Supreme Court for overthrowing the Roe v Wade abortion ruling.

Cutajar questioned why Metsola expressed her solidarity with American women while saying nothing about the case of US tourist Andrea Prudente

Metsola retorted that the Labour Party, which Cutajar forms part of, has been in government for the past nine years and has the power to change Malta’s abortion laws. 

After pro-choice group Doctors for Choice reacted to the dispute for “less finger pointing and more changing laws to protect women’s health,” Dibben offered a different perspective.

Let’s just pause and acknowledge that for the first time in Maltese history two politicians are arguing on who should be doing something about antiquated abortion laws instead of using the ‘A’ word as a threat,” she said.

Both Cutajar’s and Metsola’s political parties (PL and PN) and vehemently against the decriminalisation of abortion and neither party proposed changing the law in the last election manifesto.

 

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In 2021, a year before she became EP President, Metsola was one of three Maltese MEPs to vote against a resolution declaring abortion to be a human right.

She defended her vote by arguing that the resolution didn’t respect Malta’s right to legislate on the abortion issue itself.

After Metsola was elected EP President this year, she said she will take the European Parliament’s stance on the issue, namely that abortion is a human right.

Cover photo: Left: Andrea Dibben, Right-top: Rosianne Cutajar, Right-bottom: Roberta Metsola

Do you think Malta will decriminalise abortion within the next decade?

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Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]

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