Momentum expresses its concern over the proposed changes to the electoral districts currently under discussion in parliament, which appear to favour the ruling Labour Party. We also note that the Nationalist Party’s counter-proposals seem to prioritize its own partisan interests.
Momentum believes that the self-serving approach of the two main political parties on this issue is not conducive to strengthening the country’s democratic framework.
This goes expressly against the President’s will that there should be a fairer representation in parliament of the different political voices in the country
Mark Camilleri Gambin, on behalf of Momentum, stated: “We believe that genuine proportional representation can be achieved through a national quota with a reasonable threshold, such as 3%. Alternatively, we see merit in the proposal put forward by the Chamber of Commerce as a strong foundation for discussion. The Chamber suggests organising Malta into five electoral districts, each electing nine MPs.
Building on this, and to safeguard Gozo’s distinct identity, we propose that Gozo should not be coupled with mainland Malta. Our suggestion is for Gozo to remain a standalone district electing five MPs. The remaining four districts in Malta would then each elect ten MPs. While this would mean Gozo is slightly overrepresented, we feel this is a fair consideration for its double insularity. The four Maltese regions would maintain their 2019 boundaries, and this change would lower the effective district threshold from 16.6% to 9%.
Although this threshold would still be high by European standards, it would represent a significant step towards a fairer system that encourages greater democracy and pluralism. It is our hope that the interests of the country can be placed before partisan considerations.”
