Consensus over gay adoption welcomed

Gay rights activists welcomed the common position of the Labour and Nationalist parties after they both declared adoption should be based on the child’s best interest and not the sexual orientation of adoptive parents. This is the first time there is an open and clear political consensus that gay people should be able to adopt children so long as professionals deem it is in the best interest of the child. “The Malta Gay Rights Movement welcomes the position on adoption… as one that should be based on the child’s best interests, rather than on the sexual orientation or gender identity of the parents,” Gabi Calleja, movement coordinator, said. She said MGRM will be seeking to meet all political groups to seek further clarifications on their positions with regard to rights and policies. Last week, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said he was committed to introducing civil unions for same-sex couples, saying it would not be a partnership contract open to everyone but would include a package of rights, similar to those obtained through marriage, for gay couples. This differed from the civil partnership proposed by the Nationalist Government as part of the cohabitation law. These applied to...