Maltans Vote for Divorce

Citizens of the highly Roman Catholic island back divorce for the first time, ushering in a 'new Malta.'

In a historic referendum, Malta, whose citizens are staunchly Catholic, has voted in favour of allowing couples to divorce, becoming the last European country to lift a ban. Although Saturday's votes were still being counted, early returns had indicated 52 per cent of voters were in favour of divorce, causing Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, an opponent of the practice, to concede defeat. According to the Times of Malta, Joseph Muscat, the pro-divorce leader of the opposition Labor Party, said a new Malta had been born. More than 95 per cent of Maltans consider themselves Roman Catholic. Abortion is still banned in the country.