Politics of Malta

Politics of Malta takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Malta is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. Since Independence (1964) the party system has been dominated by the conservative Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) and the socialist Malta Labour Party (Partit Laburista).

Political developments since independence

Two parties dominate Malta's polarized and evenly divided politics: the Nationalist Party – Partit Nazzjonalista – led by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, and the Malta Labour Party – Partit Laburista – led by Alfred Sant. Elections invariably generate a widespread voter turnout exceeding 96%. The margin between the two parties is so narrow that a 52% share of the votes can still be considered a "landslide" for the winning party. Prior to the May 1987 election, the Maltese constitution was amended to ensure that the party that obtained more than 50% of the popular vote would have a majority of seats in parliament and would thereby form the government. The then Labour Party government proposed this constitutional amendment in exchange for Nationalist Party (in opposition at the time) agreeing to entrenching neutrality and non-alignment in the Constitution.

The 1996 elections resulted in the election of the Labour Party by 8,000 votes to replace the Nationalists who had won in 1987 and 1992. Voter turnout was characteristically high at 96% with the Labour Party receiving 50.72%, the Nationalist part 47.8%, Alternativa Demokratika (the Greens) 1.46% and independent parties .02%. In 1998 the Labour Party lost a parliamentary vote, leading the Prime Minister to call early elections. The Nationalist Party was returned to office in September 1998 by a majority of 13,000 votes and holds a five-seat majority in Parliament. Voter turnout was 95%. The Nationalist Party won 51.81%, the Labour Party won 46.97%, Alternativa Demokratika 1.21% and independent parties .01%.

The Nationalist government elected in 1998 wrapped up negotiations for European Union membership by the end of 2002. A referendum on the issue was called in March 2003 for which the Nationalists and Alternattiva Demokratika asked for a "yes" vote while Labour asked its supporters to vote "no", invalidate their vote or abstain. Turnout was 91% with more than 53% voting "yes".

Labour did not recognise the result arguing that less than 50% of registered voters said "yes". Parliament was dissolved and fresh elections were called as a final word on the matter. The Nationalists were returned to office with 51.79% of the vote to Labour's 47.51%. Alternattiva Demokratika managed only 0.68% and no parliamentary seats. The Nationalists were thus able to form a government and sign and ratify the EU Accession Treaty.

Executive branch

Under its 1964 constitution, Malta became a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom was sovereign of Malta, and a Governor-General exercised executive authority on her behalf, while the actual direction and control of the government and the nation's affairs were in the hands of the cabinet under the leadership of a Maltese prime minister.

On December 13, 1974, the constitution was revised, and Malta became a republic within the Commonwealth, with executive authority vested in the President of Malta. The president is elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term. He appoints as Prime Minister the leader of the party with a majority of seats in the unicameral House of Representatives, known in Maltese as Kamra tar-Rappreżentanti.

The President also nominally appoints, upon recommendation of the Prime Minister, the individual ministers. Ministers are selected from among the members of the House of Representatives, which usually consists of 65 members unless bonus seats are given to a party which gains an absolute majority of votes but not a Parliamentary majority. Elections must be held at least every 5 years and the electoral system used is single transferable vote.