Former President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is worried Malta’s new “abortion bill” is causing major damage to the Labour Party among certain constituents.

“Above all, we’re talking about the killing of innocent babies, which is not related to any party or any religion,” she said during a new interview for Life Network Foundation Malta.

“I’m worried this abortion bill is damaging the Labour Party. I meet a lot of Labour supporters that are very worried and they are definitely against it,” Coleiro Preca continued. 

“Some of these people lived in the time when supporting the Labour Party was made a sin by Malta’s church… and they’ve told me, whoever’s legislating this bill, can forget us,” she continued.

“Even given my background and what I’ve fought for, this type of damage worries me.”

“Most of these people have life in their best interest, and they never thought the Labour Party would ever get to this point.”

Coleiro Preca has long been a pillar of the pro-life movement, endorsing the proposal made by academics to redraft the amendment to Malta’s pro-life laws.

The bill itself passed an initial vote in Parliament but is currently stuck in limbo.

On 4th January, Health Minister Chris Fearne said the bill will be updated to clarify that pregnancies cannot be terminated if the unborn child can be successfully birthed and include safeguards against doctors using the law to carry out abortions even when the mother’s life or health is not at serious risk.