Watch: ‘I Won’t Change Policy To Attract Voters’ – Bernard Grech Stands Firm On PN’s Anti-Abortion Stance
During a recent discussion on Malta and Gozo’s future, Nationalist Party (PN) Leader Bernard Grech stood by his party’s anti-abortion stance, emphasising that he would not shift policies simply to gain voter approval.
The statement came during an interview with Lovin Malta’s Ana Tortell, who pointed to recent surveys showing the PN underperforming among younger voters.
According to the data, 31.4% of voters aged 16-35 support the Labour Party, while only 23.6% back the PN. Notably, 65% of younger voters either support decriminalising abortion or are open to it under certain circumstances.
“Given this, isn’t it a bit short-sighted for the PN to outright refuse any sort of compromise on decriminalising abortion?” Tortell asked.
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Grech responded firmly, making a clear distinction between holding onto core values and chasing votes.
“I make a distinction between a value and votes. I leave that up to Robert Abela when he tried to use abortion for this sense, and in fact, even those in favour of abortion realised that he was doing so,” Grech stated.
The PN leader argued that his party’s position is clear and unwavering, contrasting it with what he perceives as political manoeuvring by the Labour Party.
“If there is something that distinguishes us, even if we do not agree on this topic, at least with us, you know where we stand. We are in favour of life,” he said.
When asked about potential compromises, Grech rejected the notion outright, stating: “When you mention compromise, this means that we choose to agree to part of abortion? We are a political party who believes in life.”
Grech acknowledged that abortions are still taking place and reiterated that the PN cares about those facing such difficult decisions. However, he maintained his stance that the value of life is non-negotiable.
“For me, regarding the value of life, I am not ready to make any compromises. The life of a person who is not yet born has value, and if, as humans, we are not going to manage to defend our young, then what does that say about us?” Grech asserted.
While he expressed respect for differing opinions, Grech was clear that his party would not alter its policy merely to attract votes.
“I respect those who have a different opinion, but I will not change the policy to attract people because this is an important topic,” he concluded.
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