Growing Secularisation in a Catholic Society: The Divorce Referendum of 28 May 2011 in Malta

Abstract

The divorce referendum held in Malta on 28 May 2011 was another watershed in Maltese politics, particularly because it confirmed the secularising trends in Maltese society and exposed the complicated cleavages within the Maltese electorate. The result was a major political embarrassment for the ultra-conservative Prime Minister and leader of the Nationalist Party, particularly after he doggedly voted against the divorce bill in parliament notwithstanding the referendum result. The Catholic Church was also embarrassed after leading an aggressive ‘no’ campaign that did not resonate with the demands of society or the expectations of progressive Catholics. While the issue has severely affected the ruling Nationalist Party's chances of winning the next general election, due in the first quarter of 2013, it may have forced the Church finally to contemplate serious reforms.

Keywords:

• Religion and Politics
• Secularisation
• Catholic Church
• Maltese Labour Party
• Nationalist Party
• Divorce

Notes

[1] According to the Church, an ‘annulment’ of marriage is different from a dissolution or divorce. If the parties can provide sufficient proof that one of eight conditions for a valid marriage have been broken, say, the consent of either party is proved to have been extorted, then the marriage is considered as having never happened and is annulled.

[2] Statistics provided in press releases by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on ‘outbound tourism’ or Maltese residents travelling abroad for business or pleasure. The figures quoted include those who travel out of Malta and return on the same day, the latter amounting to 38,991 of the total recorded in 2011. Statistics on outbound travellers are available at www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_view.aspx?id = 2644 (accessed 30.11.2012).

[3] The extent of these trends could be better appraised by reference to the 2011 census, but while the NSO began publishing the results in 2012 these did not include family statistics up to the time of writing this article.