TV presenter Jean Claude Micallef is considering legal action against MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, who, he said, got personal and “lied” about his private life, during a debate on divorce between for and against youth groups yesterday evening.
From the floor, a heated Dr Pullicino Orlando hijacked the discussion at Marsascala, calling the TV presenter “irresponsible” for campaigning against divorce in view of his own private life, which he went into detail about, while persisting on getting his name wrong.
Eventually, a calm Mr Micallef said he hoped the only scandals Dr Pullicino Orlando would be associated with would be those of the past and not another on Saturday – the day of the divorce referendum.
Referring to the fact that he had spoken out strongly against divorce 13 years ago, Mr Micallef asked him why, as a legislator, he had not discussed ways to strengthen the family since then.
“Being such a brilliant legislator, could you only come up with divorce to strengthen the family?”
Dr Pullicino Orlando took exception to the fact that the Le B’Rispett Lejn il-Ġejjieni (No with respect for the future) movement said his proposed divorce bill was “irresponsible” and had more negative than positive consequences.
He took the microphone, approached the panel and in an impassioned speech talked about the trauma of his marriage breakup and how hard it had been for him to vote with the Opposition on the motion to call a referendum on the introduction of divorce.
“I will let God judge me,” Dr Pullicino Orlando shouted, calling a person in the audience “Nazi” and refusing to pass on his microphone to another.
His intervention, which ended up in a confrontation with Mr Micallef, meant the pro-divorce StandUp movement, which organised the event, did not get much time to have their say.
Earlier on, the anti-divorce movement criticised the fact that “we have begun deciding (on divorce) before discussing” and that the issue of families should not be left on the shelf, irrespective of the outcome of the referendum.
“It would be a tragedy if May 28 marks the end of the debate on the family and how to strengthen it,” it said.
Meranwhile, Dr Pullicino Orlando in a statement this morning said: "A number of men in cohabiting relationships are against the introduction of divorce in Malta because they know that, if it is, they might be forced to commit to marriage by their partners. Women in cohabiting relationships can be dumped at the drop of a hat. I find the glorification of this attitude reprehensible."