Malta’s Prime Minister pledges to legalize gay ‘marriage’
Re-elected Malta Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has pledged to introduce a gay “marriage” law in the predominantly Catholic country within weeks, once Parliament resumes. "The first law that we are going to put on the agenda — and I hope that it is approved as quickly as possible — is that of the equality of 'marriage,' the Marriage Equality Bill. We will make sure that it will be the first law to be placed on the agenda of the parliament, and that it is concluded," he said after the June 5th swearing-in ceremony. (see minute 5.50 of video below) Muscat's Labour Party won 55 percent of the vote in the June 3 election. Three years ago the Parliament of Malta legalized same-sex civil unions with similar rights and responsibilities to real marriage. The bill allowed same-sex civil partners to adopt children, despite strong public opposition to the measure. At the time of the bill’s passage, Prime Minister Muscat stated that “Malta is now