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 the party system has been dominated by the Christian Democratic Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) and the Social Democratic Malta Labour Party (Partit Laburista). The current Constitution of Malta was adopted as a legal order on September 21, 1964, and has been amended twenty-one times, most recently in 2001, the last amendment consisting of a revision in the protection of freedom of movement. ... The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ... Edward Fenech Adami (Dwardu Fenech Adami, born February 7, 1934, Birkirkara) was the Prime Minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996 and from 1998 until 2004. ... The Prime Minister of Malta is the most powerful figure within the government of Malta, although the President of Malta has a higher rank. ... Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the Prime Minister and finance minister of Malta. ... Tonio Borg is the Deputy Prime Minister of Malta. ... The Parliament of Malta, the House of Representatives (Il-Kamra tar-Raprezentanti), has 65 members, elected for a five year term in 13 5-seat constituencies with a possibility of rewarding bonus members for the popular largest party which doesnt succeed in getting absolute majority in parliament. ... Political parties in Malta lists political parties in Malta. ... Politics of Malta Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Malta ... General elections were held in Malta on 12 April 2003. ... Since 1993, Malta has been subdivided into 68 local councils or localities. ... The European Union or EU is a supranational and international organization of 27 member states. ... For the first several years of independence, Malta followed a policy of close co-operation with the United Kingdom and other NATO countries. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in red and orange—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, and the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ... Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Prime Minister of Malta is the most powerful figure within the government of Malta, although the President of Malta has a higher rank. ... The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... Christian Democracy is a political ideology, born at the end of the 19th century, largely as a result of the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, in which the Vatican recognizes workers misery and agrees that something should be done about it, in reaction to the rise of... The Nationalist Party (PN, Maltese: Partit Nazzjonalista) is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Malta Labour Party. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. ...

Legislative branch

Elections to the House of Representatives (Il-Kamra tar-Raprezentanti) are based on the single transferable vote system, which is a variant of the proportional representation electoral system. First vacancies are filled through casual election and subsequent vacancies through co-option meaning that no bye elections are held between one general election and the other. The Parliamentary term cannot exceed five years. The Parliament of Malta, the House of Representatives (Il-Kamra tar-Raprezentanti), has 65 members, elected for a five year term in 13 5-seat constituencies with a possibility of rewarding bonus members for the popular largest party which doesnt succeed in getting absolute majority in parliament. ... This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ...

Ordinarily 65 members are elected to the House from 13 multi-seat constituencies each returning 5 MPs. Additional MPs are elected in two circumstances: A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ...

-- when a party achieves 50%+1 of first-preference valid votes in the election but does not secure a Parliamentary majority it is awarded enough seats (filled by the best runner-up candidates) to make a Parliamentary majority

-- when in an election contested by more than two parties only two parties are elected to Parliament and the relative Parliamentary strength is not proportionate to the first preference votes obtained, additional seats are given to the disadvangated party to establish proportionality

Political parties and elections

A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues. ... Political parties in Malta lists political parties in Malta. ... An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... Politics of Malta Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Malta ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Parliament of Malta, the House of Representatives (Il-Kamra tar-Raprezentanti), has 65 members, elected for a five year term in 13 5-seat constituencies with a possibility of rewarding bonus members for the popular largest party which doesnt succeed in getting absolute majority in parliament. ... The Nationalist Party (PN, Maltese: Partit Nazzjonalista) is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Malta Labour Party. ... The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. ... The Democratic Alternative (Alternattiva Demokratika) is an ecologist political party in Malta. ...

Political developments since independence

Since Independence general elections were held in 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1998 and 2003. The next general elections are to be held not later than mid-2008. Two parties have dominated Malta's polarized and evenly-divided politics during this period: the Nationalist Party – Partit Nazzjonalista – led by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, and the Malta Labour Party – Partit Laburista – led by Alfred Sant. Third parties have failed to score any electoral success: in the last election 2003 the Democratic Alternative (a Green Party established in 1989) managed to secure only 0.7% of the first preference votes nationwide. Elections invariably generate a widespread voter turnout exceeding 90% of registered voters. A general election is an election in which all members of a given political body are up for election. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The Nationalist Party or Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) is a Maltese political party. ... Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the Prime Minister and finance minister of Malta. ... The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. ... Alfred Sant (born February 28, 1948) is a Maltese politician, who served as Prime Minister of Malta between 1996 and 1998 and as Leader of the Opposition between 1992 and 1996 and since 1998. ... General elections were held in Malta on 12 April 2003. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Democratic Alternative (Alternattiva Demokratika) is a Green political party in Malta, particularly dedicated to ecology. ... A Green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of Green politics. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

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 Party 47.8%, the Democratic Alternative 1.46%, and independent candidates 0.02%. In 1998 the Labour Party lost a parliamentary vote, leading the Prime Minister to call an early election. The Nationalist Party was returned to office in September 1998 by a majority of 13,000 votes, holding a five-seat majority in Parliament. Voter turnout was 95%, with the Nationalist Party receiving 51.81%, the Labour Party 46.97%, the Democratic Alternative 1.21%, and independent candidates 0.01%. The Democratic Alternative (Alternattiva Demokratika) is an ecologist political party in Malta. ...

The Nationalist government 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 the Democratic Alternative 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". Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, originally a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ...

The Labour Party argued that the "yes" votes amounted to less than 50% of the overall votes, hence, and citing the Integration referendum as an example, they claimed that the "yes" hadn't in fact won the referendum. Parliament was eventually 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%. The Democratic Alternative managed 0.68%. The Nationalists were thus able to form a government and sign and ratify the EU Accession Treaty. Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ...

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. A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Governor-General (or Governor General) is a term used both historically and currently to designate the appointed representative of a head of state or their government for a particular territory, historically in a colonial context, but no longer necessarily in that form. ...

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. is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ...

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. This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ...

The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ... Edward Fenech Adami (Dwardu Fenech Adami, born February 7, 1934, Birkirkara) was the Prime Minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996 and from 1998 until 2004. ... The Nationalist Party (PN, Maltese: Partit Nazzjonalista) is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Malta Labour Party. ... is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Prime Minister of Malta is the most powerful figure within the government of Malta, although the President of Malta has a higher rank. ... Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the Prime Minister and finance minister of Malta. ... The Nationalist Party (PN, Maltese: Partit Nazzjonalista) is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Malta Labour Party. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Judicial branch

Courthouse, Valletta

Malta's judiciary is independent. The President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, appoints the chief justice and 16 judges. Their mandatory retirement age is 65. There is a civil court, a commercial court, and a criminal court. In the latter, the presiding judge sits with a jury of nine. The court of appeal hears appeals from decisions of the civil court and of the commercial court. The court of criminal appeal hears appeals from judgments of conviction by the criminal court. The highest court, the Constitutional Court, hears appeals in cases involving violations of human rights, interpretation of the constitution, and invalidity of laws. It also has jurisdiction in cases concerning disputed parliamentary elections and electoral corrupt practices. There also are inferior courts presided over by a magistrate. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 797 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 × 2144 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 797 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 × 2144 pixels, file size: 1. ...

Administrative divisions

Malta is divided into 68 elected local councils, with each council responsible for the administration of cities or regions of varying sizes. Administrative responsibility is distributed between the local councils and the central government in Valletta. The Local Councils Act, 1993 (Act XV of 1993) was published on June 30, 1993, subdividing Malta into 54 local councils in Malta and 14 in Gozo. The inhabitants who are registered elect the Council every 3 years, as voters in the Local Councils' Electoral Register. Elections are held by means of the system of proportional representation using the single transferable vote. The mayor is the head of the Local Council and the representative of the Council for all effects under the Act. The Executive Secretary, who is appointed by the Council, is the executive, administrative, and financial head of the Council. All decisions are taken collectively with the other members of the Council. Local councils are responsible for the general upkeep and embellishment of the locality, local wardens, and refuse collection, and carry out general administrative duties for the central government such as collection of government rents and funds, and answering government-related public inquiries. A Local Council (LC, formerly Resistance Council -RC) is a form of local elected government within the districts of Uganda. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Gozo (Maltese: Għawdex) is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European country Malta and is the second largest after the island of Malta itself within the archipelago. ...

International organization participation

Malta is member of C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (member from 1 May 2004), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2006 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Don McKinnon (since 1 April 2000) Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 5 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General Terry Davis  -  President of the Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden... Founded in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) uses the tools of investment to help build market economies and democracies in 27 countries from central Europe to central Asia. ... The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE or ECE) was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. ... The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes. ... Logo of the World Bank The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of the five institutions consisting the World Bank Group. ... The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ... The official logo of the ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt)[1] was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. ... Claiming 157 million members in 225 affiliated organisations in 148 countries and territories, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) came into being on December 7, 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). ... ICRM may refer to: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Institute of Certified Records Managers International Committee for Radionuclide Metrology International Chemometrics Research Meeting This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. ... Red Cross redirects here. ... The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues. ... IMF redirects here. ... Headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation in Lambeth, adjacent to the east end of Lambeth Bridge Headquarters building taken from the west side of the Thames Headquartered in London, U.K., the International Maritime Organization (IMO) promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping industry to improve maritime safety and to... Inmarsat plc is an international telecommunications company founded in 1979, originally as an intergovernmental organization. ... Intelsat, Ltd. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Alternative meanings at IOC (disambiguation) The International Olympic Committee is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 to reinstate the Ancient Olympic Games held in Greece, and organize this sports event every four years. ... The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. ... “ISO” redirects here. ... The International Telecommunication Union (ITU; French: Union internationale des télécommunications, Spanish: Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones) is an international organization established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. ... The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is not an agency of the United Nations. ... The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an international organization for security. ... The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), also known as the Hague Tribunal is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body, UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment and development issues. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is an agency of the United Nations with the mission of helping countries pursue sustainable industrial development, it is a specialist in industrial affairs. ... The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is an international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. ... The World Confederation of Labour (WCL) was founded in 1920 under the name of the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions as a confederation of unions associated with the Christian Democratic parties of Europe. ... The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an intergovernmental organization that helps Members (currently Customs administrations from 169 countries) communicate and co-operate on customs issues. ... WHO redirects here. ... The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (French: Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle or OMPI) is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations. ... WMO flag The World Meteorological Organization (WMO, French: , OMM) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 188 Member States and Territories. ... World Tourism Organization Building in Madrid The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. ... “WTO” redirects here. ...

Malta was a long-time member of NAM. It ceased to be part of the movement when it joined the European Union. Member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (2005). ...

See also

• Malta
• Mass meeting
• Maltese Italians
• Partit Nazzjonalista
• Partit Laburista
• Alternattiva Demokratika

A mass meeting is a type of deliberative assembly in which all present, meeting specified criteria, are considered voting members. ... The Maltese Italian Enrico Mizzi (1885-1950), former leader of the Nationalist Party and Prime Minister of Malta Maltese Italians are the people of Malta who wanted the unification to Italy of the Maltese islands, following the Italian Irredentism ideals. ... The Nationalist Party or Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) is a Maltese political party. ... The Labour Party (Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. ... The Democratic Alternative (Alternattiva Demokratika) is a Green political party in Malta, particularly dedicated to ecology. ...

External links

• Local Councils of Malta
• Central Government of Malta
• House of Representatives
• Constitution of Malta (pdf file)
• Nationalist Party
• Malta Labour Party
• Alternativa Demokratika
• Laws of Malta