The subject of an electoral reform often comes up for discussion. Many times it happens when an election is approaching, which inevitably leads to a heated debate but leaves little time in which to find common ground.

In Malta, however, a compromise is reached on very few subjects, and an electoral reform is not one of them. In the past, agreements have been reached on small changes but these have been too cosmetic to be considered as an overhaul.

Political parties start with a long list of proposals and good intentions, but more often than not the list withers down to a couple of minor alterations. It’s like going to the tailor to buy a suit and leaving the shop with half a dozen buttons.

The Malta Olympic Committee did the right thing in bringing to light the problem of the athletes and officials who will be taking part in the Small Nations Games in Cyprus between 1 and 6 June. Unless matters change, the members of the Maltese contingent will not be able to exercise their right to vote at the European Parliament elections, due to be held on 6 June.

The MOC has asked for changes in the law that would allow the athletes to vote before they leave for Cyprus, one week before the election.

This suggestion opened up the debate and, as unfortunately often happens in similar circumstances, the two major political parties want to take credit for being the first to support this initiative or to say that they were always the pioneers in electoral changes that have taken place in the past.

It is rather a pathetic way of dealing with the matter. It is not an issue of who agreed with the suggestion first, but sitting down together and coming up with a solution. What is important is not who recommended the changes, but that an agreement is found, once and for all, to make it easier for people to vote.

The thing is, the level of suspicion that exists between the two major parties does not allow for a healthy, constructive debate – in public and in private – that would ultimately lead to a solution that is beneficial to all. And the fact that the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party were separated by just 1,500 votes in the general election last year will not help to bring the two sides closer.

Yet, the suggestions that have been put forward, in particular those by the Labour Party, are worth looking into. The PL is not looking solely at the EP election in June, but is looking further ahead.

For example, the PL has suggested doing away with voting documents. People should vote on the strength of a valid ID card, and this would mean cutting down bureaucracy and costs. If Maltese residents can travel to any EU country using a valid ID card, then why can’t they use it to vote? Of course, the government must embark on a comprehensive exercise to renew the ID cards currently in use – most of which have expired but remain “valid” only thanks to a legal notice.

Secondly, the PL is also suggesting that Maltese residents would be able to vote in Maltese embassies abroad one day before the election. Again, this would reduce the costs and most of all the hassle for those hundreds of Maltese who live away from Malta but are still eligible to vote.

No doubt, there are other suggestions that can be discussed. Others have been put forward in the past, but there is always some hitch that prevents the two parties from coming to terms. It is a real pity that in this modern age of technology we have not yet come up with a solution to make things easier.