Despite absence of divorce, 334 get remarried in Malta
12% of annulments in 2008 involved marriages that lasted less than five years
James Debono Despite the absence of divorce in Malta, 7% of grooms and 6% of brides who married in Malta last year, had previously obtained a divorce from their previous marriage, a demographic review for 2008 reveals.
The data from the National Statistics Office show that 177 grooms and 157 brides were married in Malta in 2008, despite being previously married. This is because the same Maltese law, which does not envision divorce locally, still recognises divorces obtained in another country.
Most of the divorcees who tied the knot in Malta last year were foreigners. Only 28 divorced grooms and 27 divorced brides resided in Malta prior to the marriage.
On the other hand, 117 divorced grooms and 104 divorced brides hailed from the United Kingdom.
Last year, the authorities recognised 31 divorces obtained abroad. Nearly 42% of these divorces were obtained in the UK. Most of the divorces were obtained by couples who had been married for over 20 years.
More civil marriages, less separations In 2008, 188 marriages were dissolved – an increase of 13% over 2007. The vast majority, 81%, applied for a civil annulment, but not for a church annulment. The first annuls the bond registered with the State, while the church annulment involves a lengthier process to annul the sacramental marriage.
However, without a church annulment, remarriage in a church is impossible.
12% of the annulments involved marriages that lasted for less than five years. 519 separations were registered in 2008, a decrease of 19% with respect to the previous year. Nearly 90% of these separations involved couples where both spouses were Maltese citizens.
34% of all marriages celebrated in Malta in 2008 were civil marriages (840). Of these, 300 involved at least one Maltese spouse, 107 couples of which were both Maltese. Most civil marriages occurred between British spouses (45%) – 78% of brides and 74% of grooms in these civil marriages were however never married before.
More births out of wedlock In another sign of changing family patterns, just over a quarter of all live births in 2008 occurred outside marriage and numbered 1,048 – an increase of nearly 9% compared to 2007. Of these, 352 were registered with unknown paternity.
The total number of registered live births outside marriage had already increased from 866 during 2006, to 964 during 2007. This means that the number of births outside marriage increased by a staggering 21% since 2006.
Nearly 25% of these mothers in 2008 were under 20; another 29% were aged 20-24.
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