GAY TRUTH

VALLETTA, April 15, 2014 – In a vote of 37 to 0, the Parliament of Malta yesterday passed a measure to allow same-sex partners to contract legal civil unions, with similar rights and responsibilities to natural marriage. Despite  strong public opposition  to the idea, the bill also allows same-sex civil partners to adopt children. The entire caucus of the opposition Nationalist Party of 30 MPs abstained from the vote. Maltese President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca , who took office April 4, had pledged to sign the bill. Her predecessor, President George Abela , had  refused to sign a civil unions bill  just last month. Maltese President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca The provision allowing same-sex adoption was particularly controversial. Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil quoted a recent survey that showed 80 per cent of Maltese citizens oppose “gay adoption.” “Malta has not been prepared for such a step,” he said. But Prime Minister Joseph Muscat,...

VALLETTA, Malta , – The president of Malta, George Abela , has created shockwaves by citing “moral grounds” in refusing to  sign a bill  that would create homosexual civil unions and allow same-sex partners to jointly adopt children in the tiny Mediterranean country. Opposition politicians have accused the president of playing “divisive politics,” the  Times of Malta reports . The delay will likely be short, however, with President-elect Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca having already said she will have “no problem” endorsing the bill. The former family and social solidarity minister, she takes office April 4. Maltese President George Abela “I was part of the Cabinet that approved that Bill and I know that it was an electoral commitment made by this government prior to the election so I will have no problem signing the Bill,” she told the  Times . She added that since single homosexuals could already adopt children in Malta, the change in the bill was inconse...