Vassallo decided to vote against gay marriage ‘at the very last second’
● Unclear whether PN will take action against him
PN MP Edwin Vassallo took the decision to vote against the Marriage Equality Act in the third reading at the very last moment, right before he voted, he told The Malta Independent.
“I kept thinking about it, trying to make the best decision,” he said.
The Marriage Equality Act passed into law last Wednesday, ushering in same-sex marriage. Vassallo was the only MP who voted against the bill despite outgoing PN leader Simon Busuttil declaring that his party would be voting in favour of it – in keeping with the party’s electoral manifesto – and that it would not be giving MPs a free vote. This was decided on the basis that all candidates contesting the election knew that gay marriage was included in the party’s electoral programme.
Asked whether the PN’s liberal stance contrasting his more conservative views would mean a deeper rift between him and the PN, Vassallo said that his decision was one based on his conscience, and has nothing to do with any other issue. “So the issue stops here with this legislation. I intend to continue working within the PN. Secondly, it is not the PN which is divided, but the nation. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat managed to divide the people on this issue. Likewise, the PN is divided as there are people who think differently on the issue and there is also the Labour Party. But nobody cares to realise that on this issue and on any other similar issue, there is a division among the people.”
“People have the right to think differently from each other, like in every other country. In other countries there was a debate and, rightly so, the majority won. But there is no country with a 100% majority leaning the same way on issues.”
Asked whether he knew of any other PN MPs who felt the same as he did, but who toed the party line, he said he did not and that such a thing never interested him. “This was a matter of my personal conscience and I cannot try and influence the conscience of others.”
He would not comment on whether the PN leadership has spoken to him about the vote and whether any action is going to be taken against him.
Questions were sent to the PN about the issue, and they were asked whether or not the party will be taking any action against Vassallo for not toeing the party line in his vote. The PN, in response, said: “The matter will be referred to the relevant party structure for its consideration and decision.”