The Precedent of Abortion: an incoming reality or scaremongering?

The present government has a plan ‘for it to be possible to have hospitals with a license to conduct abortion’.

On the same day, a walk as a manifestation in favour of the unborn was also organised by the Pro-Life Network. This same organisation was quoted by the 'Times Of Malta' making a claim that was similar to what was reported by NET News. Whereby the Maltese ‘will eventually be made to hold a referendum on whether or not to introduce abortion’.

The claims made by the opposition party and also by one of the main groups in favour of life gives us more information on a subject that has long been a taboo in Maltese society.

Without doubt, both the party and the organisation are pointing their guns at the Labour Government which has made itself over the years the hallmark of progressive and liberal reform.

It is to no surprise that the organisation is making a stand against, what they believe, the possible introduction of abortion ever since the morning after pill was introduced in pharmacies in Malta.  Furthermore, human rights organisations, the Council of Europe and also Aditus have publically stated that Malta should legalise abortion. However, can we really say that abortion will be legalized in our country through a referendum?

When it comes to the issue of having a referendum regarding abortion, the ball will be in the court of the Labour Government as civil society does not really have legal ground to initiate such a referendum.

This will, therefore, boil down to the popular opinion and the figures speak for themselves. 

As according to a survey conducted by Malta Today, an absolute majority, 90% to be exact, are against abortion in any way.

Abortion remains an unassailable bastion in this country’s secular drive with MaltaToday’s latest survey showing an overwhelming rejection across all age groups.

Therefore, the idea of abortion would be immediately shot down in a public vote. More so, if the government would try to implement this through parliament the opposition would not be the only party with grave internal problems. As given the standing of Maltese society it surely will be reflected by party members and parliamentarians.  

Let us not only forget that this would be an issue that would most likely unite the anti-labour front together. Given the fact that PN, Church and civil society organisations formed by those who disagree we with the current PN leader are conservative. (with regards to civil society a simple analysis of the people involved would drive one to the conclusion that most are conservative).

Yet, if there really is a group within labour that really wants to legalize abortion in any way, the Malta Today Survey which I referred to shows one interesting anomaly. That when the life of the mother is in danger, Maltese opinion becomes divided and in this case, the abortion stance is given the upper hand.

Given the fact that the government doesn’t have a public mandate and that public opinion is totally, generally speaking, against abortion, the issue if brought up does not have the legitimacy or the public support to be substantiated. In this case, the real scaremongering comes from the opposition giving the fact that it is stepping into the sentiment of those that support the pro-life network as they fear the reality of abortion being legal.  

In the end, however, for those who would want to legalize abortion, this will all boil down to skillful political maneuvering as it seems that people will have a different opinion when it comes to saving the Mother.

The debate of abortion, if further explored, will surely test the edifice of Maltese society and the thinking of political strategists.