Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/824559
maltatoday, TUESDAY, 16 MAY 2017 News PN, PL confirm anti-abortion stance, but Labour leaves door open for euthanasia PAUL COCKS THE Labour Party and the Nationalist Par- ty both confirmed yesterday that abortion was not on the agenda, but Labour social dialogue minister Helena Dalli said a na- tional debate on euthanasia was called for. "This government did a lot to introduce measures that made society a much better place," she said. "We listened to the debate on the morning-after pill, we abolished reparative treatment, and we introduced numerous measures in favour of gender equality." In the first of a series of political debates organised by the Broadcasting Authority and hosted by Mario Micallef, Dalli joined Silvio Schembri to face off Democratic Party leader Marlene Farrugia and PN MP Clyde Puli. The four politicians exchanged frequent barbs and accusations in the hour-long debate, accusing each other of lying and of misrepresenting themselves. Puli said that Forza Nazzjonali was also categorically against abortion, because the parties believed in the sanctity of life, from birth to death. "That is why we are also against the intro- duction of euthanasia, although we realise that a serious discussion on how to treat pa- tients throughout their treatment would be welcome," he said. Puli insisted that the Labour government should stop using gays as a smokescreen whenever it finds itself facing allegations it could not in any way refute. "You always use gays when you feel you are sinking, so stop it," he said. "Forza Naz- zjonali will be legalising gay marriages, since the Labour government was not cou- rageous enough to go beyond civil union, despite all its claims." Farrugia – who spread out an old Malta Labour Party flag in front of her – said that the choice on 3 June should be based on the respect for others and a love for clean poli- tics, in an attempt to do away with the cor- ruption and bad governance that she said has become the norm under the current Labour administration. "This will be the chance for all Nation- alists, Democrats, true Labourites, even Mintoff supporters like my parents, to re- turn the country to its former glory and take it away from the grasp of this Panama- Labour government," she said. Puli said that Dalli had failed to promote gender equality. "She did not defend women, and when Joe Debono Grech attacked Marlene Far- rugia in Parliament, she defended Debono Grech," he claimed. "She did not defend women when she removed Angela Callus, because she was not of the same political beliefs." Schembri accused Farrugia of having filled the parliamentary secretariat of the health ministry with her relatives when her partner was minister for health. "Back then the PN you have now cosied up to accused you of corruption," he said. "Today you're only good for the PN be- cause of your hatred for the prime min- ister." He called on the two political opponents to condemn statements appearing on- line calling for the incarceration of prime minister Joseph Muscat and his wife Mi- chelle and for their two children to be sent to a children's home. "I hope you condemn other online state- ments wishing that the children of Labour supporters contract cancer," he said, in an obviously-rehearsed rant on claims made online and never attributed to PN or PD representatives. Farrugia said that the vulnerable would have the most to gain under a new gov- ernment composed of the PN and PD, as was obvious by the many sound proposals Forza Nazzjonali had already put forward. "The Panama-Labour government chose to defend the corrupt throughout the four years," she said. "If people want to vote for true Labour values, they have no option but to choose the Forza Nazzjonali on 3 June, because the Panama-Labour only has the interests of the few at heart." Marlene Farrugia insists that true Labour supporters, even Mintoff supporters like her parents, have only one viable option in upcoming election ElectionChat kicked off yesterday on maltatoday.com.mt with the first debate between two young candidates, Conrad Borg Manché (left) for the Labour party and Mark Anthony Sammut (right) for the Nationalist party. The discussion was hosted by online editor Miriam Dalli. ElectionChat will be screened from Monday to Friday hosted by journalists from the MaltaToday newsroom together with opinion makers and political personalities