The European Parliament elections are still five months away, but as the political parties start to gear up towards holding the second edition of such polls to elect Malta’s representatives in the European institution (the Labour Party has already presented its 12 candidates) the debate on the now famous sixth seat has come to life.

In 2004, Malta voted to elect five representatives. Three posts were won by the Labour Party, the other two by the Nationalist Party. Alternattiva Demokratika’s candidate came close to breaking the duopoly. The result of this election showed that the Maltese vote differently in EP and local council elections than they do in the general election.

The 2004 results are playing an important part in the way the debate as to what one should do for the 2009 elections is developing. This is because there is a good chance that Malta will have its sixth seat in the EP, but this will probably become effective after the EP election, to be held on 6 June. The referendum in Ireland that is aimed to approve the Lisbon Treaty – and through it give Malta an extra seat – is expected to be held after the elections for the EP are held all over Europe.

This brings an important question to the fore. Will the Maltese be voting for five EP representatives on 6 June, or will they be voting for six? Technically, once the sixth seat is not confirmed before the election is held, the Maltese will be voting for five representatives. But what will happen once we are given the green light for the sixth seat?

The Labour Party has made its intentions clear. PL leader Joseph Muscat said he will be moving a resolution in Parliament in which Labour will insist that the candidate who places sixth in the EP election will automatically be allotted the EP seat. The PL is not in favour of having Parliament nominate the sixth person from among the MPs, as some have suggested. AD are in agreement with this.

Needless to say, an extra nationwide election to pick Malta’s sixth representative is too costly an exercise and, secondly, it would once again throw the country into a political frenzy just months after the “first” EP election in June. It would be a crazy idea if Malta had to go for this option, at a time when we are moving away from holding local elections on a yearly basis so as to avoid slowing down the country, as always happens each time there is an election coming up.

The government has so far not been so clear on its stand about this, and seems to be dragging its feet as it awaits developments. It may be that judging by the way the people voted last time round, it does not want the sixth seat to automatically go to the candidate who was eliminated last, as a repetition of 2004 could mean that the PN would still end up with two seats in spite of the extra one that will be available.

Enjoying a parliamentary majority, albeit a slim one, makes it easier for the PN to push Parliament into appointing a Nationalist representative on the EP. But, would this be a fair decision? Would democracy prevail? Shouldn’t it be the people who decide who to represent them in the EP, rather than Parliament doing it for them?

What is important is that a decision on what is going to happen is taken quickly, long before the people will cast their vote. The people should know whether they are voting for five or six representatives before the election is held.

The opposition has made things clear from its end. It is now up to the government to lay its cards on the table.