Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/201600
5 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2013 CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Majority of respondents agree with civil unions but majority against adoption 65% of respondents expressed their agreement with the proposed civil unions bill, however less than half agree with the inclusion of adoption rights to same-sex couples. In the latest MaltaToday online poll, 25% of the 2,960 respondents said they were in complete agreement with the bill, which grants a civil status equivalent to marriage, adoption rights included, to same sex couples. On the other hand, 40% of respondents also said they agreed with the proposed civil rights law tabled by the Labour government, but disagreed with granting same-sex couples the right to adopt. The remaining 35% said they were against the bill because they opposed the legalisation of samesex relationships. Both the government and Opposition are in favour of introducing a law which regulates same-sex relationships, however the Nationalist opposition has publicly declared that it will be presenting some amendments to the bill. Following the divorce debate, the PN lost a considerable part of its liberal vote and faced with the civil unions bill, the opposition has clearly avoided a situation which could have led to a further haemorrhage of votes. The PN's decision to support the bill might be seen as a bold step, however it is also trying to appease its conservative wing by mt online poll DO YOU AGREE WITH THE PROPOSED CIVIL UNIONS BILL? 25% Yes as is and including adoption rights 41% Yes but without the right to adopt 35% No I'm against legalising same-sex relationships introducing amendments that would maintain a distinction between marriage and civil unions. The Malta Gay Rights Move- ment, which together with Alternattiva Demokratika is pushing for full marriage rights for samesex couples, acknowledged the draft law puts civil unions at par with heterosexual marriage. Although the bill does not grant gay couples marriage, MGRM has welcomed the move and said that that the civil unions bill was an important step towards the recognition of gay marriage.