Momentum proposals: 3 New Proposals to Take Politics Out of the Public Sector

In Malta, who you know still matters more than what you know. Senior public appointments are often decided behind closed doors, recruitment for the civil service has been centralised around the Prime Minister’s Office, and interview processes leave no paper trail. The result is a public sector where loyalty to a party is rewarded over competence. Citizens pay the price through weaker institutions and poorer public services. Momentum will change this.

Today, Momentum announces three proposals to restore merit and transparency to public appointments and civil service recruitment.

Two-thirds parliamentary majority for key public appointments

The Standards Commissioner, the Police Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Commissioner are among the most important watchdog roles in Maltese public life. These positions should not be decided by one person or one party. Momentum in Parliament will push for all key public appointments to require a two-thirds parliamentary majority. This ensures that only qualified, widely accepted candidates get these crucial roles, and that no single political interest can install a loyalist to do its bidding.

Significantly increase the resources of the National Audit Office

The National Audit Office needs much more funding and staff to properly oversee government spending. Without adequate resources, the NAO cannot effectively monitor how taxpayer money is being used across all departments, agencies and authorities. Momentum in Parliament will push for an increase in the NAO’s resources so it can do the job it was set up to do: hold the government to account on every euro it spends.

Remove centralised recruitment procedures from the Prime Minister’s Office

Most public service recruitment has been centralised around the Office of the Prime Minister, with serious suspicions of political interference in hiring decisions. This is not how a modern, professional civil service should operate. Momentum in Parliament will remove these centralised procedures and restore proper merit-based hiring free from political meddling. Public servants should serve the public, not the party in power.

“The people who lead Malta’s institutions should be chosen because they are the best person for the job. Not because they are loyal to a political party or a government minister, says Carmel Asciak, Momentum’s candidate on the 12th and 13th districts. “Momentum is proposing real structural changes to make sure appointments are transparent, recruitment is fair, and the bodies that are supposed to watch over public spending actually have the tools to do it. This is a Bidla ta’ Vera.”

There is hope, you can help!

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