Malta had the lowest divorce rate in Europe in 2020, fresh figures show, once again confirming a downward trend registered since 2011.
According to figures issued by Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency, there were 0.5 divorces registered for every 1,000 people, the lowest rate since divorce was legalised in 2011.
Malta’s rate is also notably lower than the EU average, which stood at 1.6 divorces per 1,000 people. Denmark, Latvia and Lithuania had the highest rate at 2.7 divorces per 1,000 people.
Before 2020, the rate had stood at 0.7 per 1,000 people since 2017, when it had dropped from 0.8 in the previous year. The only year when the rate was lower than in 2020 was when divorce became legal in October 2011. This meant, however, that the rate only covered divorces registered over a period of three months, as opposed to a whole year.
Potential reasons for low rate
While Malta’s rate has persistently been among the lowest in Europe, divorce lawyer Stephen Thake told Times of Malta that there could be other factors at play that are not reflected in official statistics.
In Malta’s system, he said, separation cases can undergo a conversion into divorce and this might not be picked up by the EU agency.
Thake also pointed out that in Malta divorce is “not the primary remedy” and many tend to opt for simply separating, especially if they are not interested in getting married again.
We need to also keep in mind that some of the drop is to be expected, especially after the first few years when there were cases from when before divorce was legal. Now that enough time has passed, there will be fewer cases from before 2011- Divorce lawyer Stephen Thake
“The increase in the number of people living together needs to also be kept in mind,” Thake said, noting that there seems to be an increasing trend whereby individuals who are no longer with their spouses simply move in with other people without getting divorced.
The year under review coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and the closures that came with it. This, Thake pointed out, included the closure of court for three months.
“The only way to get a divorce is through court so there could have been some impact because of the closures,” he said.
Drops in people’s income because of the pandemic could have also played a part, prompting couples to postpone a divorce because they could not afford the legal fees that came with it.
Despite this and because the rate has been dropping for years, Thake believes the pandemic only played a small part in the decrease.
“We need to also keep in mind that some of the drop is to be expected, especially after the first few years when there were cases from when before divorce was legal. Now that enough time has passed, there will be fewer cases from before 2011.”