Priest Calls Out Bernard Grech For Abortion Comment And Says His Refusal To Give A Clear Answer Says A Lot
A prominent priest has called out Opposition Leader Bernard Grech for sitting on the fence when asked about the party’s stance on abortion during a recent interview.
“Those who are scared of giving clear answers are actually giving extremely clear answers,” Mons. Anton Gouder wrote. “If you choose to be like everyone else, then there’s no need to choose you over the others.”
On Xtra this week, Grech said the PN “shouldn’t tell people how to live their lives” when asked about the party’s stance on abortion, euthanasia and IVF.
“I think this point of departure can help us understand better how to relate to the electorate through our policies,” Grech said.
Gouder questioned whether the PN will change its statute, which declares the party is anti-abortion, and asked whether the election result convinced him to change his stance.
He also challenged Grech’s argument that politicians shouldn’t tell people how they should live their lives.
“In its electoral manifesto, the PN promised to decide how people should live their lives in several sectors, such as hunting, planning and development,” he said. “Will [Grech] tell us that we don’t have a right to decide how people live their lives on these issues too?”
“I am awaiting the response to be that these sectors impact the rights of other people and future generations. If so, then should politicians get to decide how people should live their lives when the rights of other people and future generations are at stake?”
“Therefore, doesn’t the murder of an unborn child (abortion) impact the rights of other people and future generations?”
Grech’s latest remark on abortion is a significant shift from the draconian stance he took last November, when he warned that the party “will always remain against abortion” and that no pro-choice politician be allowed to represent or form part of the PN.
However, he has softened his stance since then, as has Prime Minister Robert Abela, who recently said he wants to understand the pain of women who carry out abortions and condemned small party ABBA for reporting a group of pro-choice activists to the police.
ADPD has also come out in favour of the decriminalisation of abortion and leadership hopeful Sandra Gauci has said she believes this stance actually won the small party votes at the last election.
Former independent MP Marlene Farrugia presented a bill to decriminalise abortion in the last legislature but it hasn’t been discussed in Parliament.
Should Malta decriminalise abortion?
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