Partit Demokratiku said it is strictly against the introduction of gender quotas in Parliament, as it will set the progress women have made backwards, rather than promote their success. This form of positive discrimination is unjust, will further demean women, and is fundamentally undemocratic.

"We have said it before and we will say it again. Women are not tuna and should not be the subject of quotas. It is degrading to women to introduce quotas, as if they cannot succeed on their merits," Marlene Farrugia, PD MP, said.

MEP candidate Cami Appelgren states, “Equality between men and women is a hallmark of modern society, but gender quotas in Parliament are not the right kind of progress. I instead believe in empowerment of women, to enable equal opportunities for success. Pushing for equality of outcome through quotas, and using superficial solutions, will cause more problems than we solve."

PD Deputy Leader Timothy Alden adds, “There are many areas where Malta needs investment, so are these new MPs going to come at the expense of our pensions? Could the money be better spent elsewhere, especially at a time when there is a national dialogue on full-time MPs? Who is going to cover the bills? What are our priorities? PD is a liberal party, but we know that not everything dressed up as progress is actually progress. If we want to help women, then let us empower them, not insult or patronise them by imposing superficial quotas on the nation. After all, half the electorate are women. Is this government insulting their intelligence?"

PD believes in equality between men and women, which means that PD opposes wasteful gender quotas in Parliament, which though a form of positive discrimination, are a form of discrimination nonetheless.

“If a government really wanted to fix things it would start by addressing the gender pay gap which is in real life the gender ‘pain’ gap, being so rife and blatant and a major weapon used to blast any possible chance for effective emancipation of women,” concluded Farrugia.