Academics contacted by The Malta Independent on Sunday regarding a recent Chamber of Commerce report proposing electoral reform generally agreed with the proposal to reduce the number of Members of Parliament, but believe that the reduction should be less than the proposal indicates.
The Chamber of Commerce has proposed an electoral reform which would include a reduction in the number of MPs in the Maltese Parliament from 79 to 45. An additional important aspect of the proposed reform includes a reduction in the number of electoral districts from 13 to five, with each district electing nine MPs.
The Malta Independent on Sunday reached out to academics and University of Malta lecturers Professor Roderick Pace (lecturer at the Institute for European Studies), Andre Debattista (assistant lecturer at the Institute for European Studies) and Dr Anne Marie Thake (senior lecturer at the Department of Policy, Politics and Governance) for their comments and thoughts regarding the Chamber's proposal.
Anne Marie Thake
Asked what she believes would be the consequences, positive or negative, of a reduction in MPs and districts, Thake replied that potential benefits include that a smaller Parliament may lead to more streamlined discussions, quicker decision-making and less political gridlock.
She continued that by reducing the number of MPs and increasing remuneration, Parliament could potentially attract "more competent and dedicated politicians who treat politics as a full-time profession rather than a secondary role".
An increase in remuneration is one of the other aspects of the Chamber's proposed reform, which would see MPs, parliamentary secretaries, ministers, as well as the prime minister and the Opposition leader, receiving a salary increase.
Thake said that fewer MPs would reduce the administrative and operational costs of running a larger Parliament. She also noted that having fewer MPs could lead to greater scrutiny of elected representatives, ultimately enhancing their accountability to constituents. As to potential shortcomings of such a reform, she said that a smaller Parliament may lead to fewer voices being heard and the potential marginalisation of small parties, minority groups and independent candidates. With that said, the Chamber's proposal includes a "third party threshold", in which the Chamber proposed that there should be a 5% national threshold for a party to be represented in Parliament instead of a minimum of 16.7% votes in one of 13 districts.
Thake stated that fewer MPs in Parliament could potentially result in a stronger hold on power by the two major political parties. She added that reducing the number of electoral districts could also mean that it would be harder for MPs to effectively address local issues due to them representing larger constituencies as a result of such a reform.
On the matter of whether Malta would benefit from a smaller Parliament, Thake said that the idea of reducing the Parliament comes with significant risks regarding democratic representation and political balance. She continued that if such a reduction were to be accompanied by serious reforms in governance, "such as better transparency and accountability mechanisms", then it could "help professionalise" Parliament.
She added that a smaller Parliament might work if balanced by electoral reforms which ensure fair representation "such as local engagement mechanisms".
Comparing Malta's Parliament to the Parliaments of Luxembourg and Cyprus, Thake said that Malta's current Parliament of 79 MPs means that there is one MP per 6,600 people based on NSO statistics from 2022. She continued that Luxembourg's Parliament of 60 MPs has an average of one MP per 11,000 people, and Cyprus' 56 MPs have one MP per 16,400 people, both according to Eurostat reports from 2024.
Thake said that the proposed 45 MP Maltese Parliament would mean having one MP per 11,500 people, giving Malta a similar ratio as that of Luxembourg, which has an approximate population of 660,000.
"However," she commented, "the political and electoral contexts differ significantly."
She stated that Luxembourg uses proportional representation with fewer electoral districts than Malta, and added that the multi-member district system ensures proportionality while allowing local representation. She also said that despite having a smaller Parliament than Malta, Luxembourg's political culture is "more consensus-driven, reducing party polarisation".
Taking a look at Cyprus, Thake said that it uses a proportional representation but with a strong presidential system, where executive power does not rely on MPs as heavily as in Malta. She continued that while Cyprus has a relatively small Parliament, it has a more diverse party landscape which prevents two-party dominance. She added that the division of the Republic of Cyprus and Northern Cyprus also makes direct comparisons tricky due to how it affects governance.
Looking back at Malta, she said that if Malta were to adopt a "Luxembourg-style model", then fewer MPs could still represent citizens effectively if district sizes and proportional representation mechanisms were not also adjusted accordingly. She added that, unlike Cyprus, Malta has a strong two-party system, and so she thinks that reducing MPs may make it harder for smaller parties to "break through".
She said that reducing Malta's MPs could work if electoral safeguards ensure fair representation, "but it risks increasing power centralisation and reducing political diversity".
Thake commented that a compromise could work, but that it would require a careful balance of efficiency with representation. She continued that reducing the number of MPs while strengthening proportional representation could address concerns about governance effectiveness, costs and democratic fairness.
She remarked that a potential middle ground could be a "moderate reduction" to 55 or 60 MPs instead of 45, as she said that this could improve efficiency without excessively weakening representation. Furthermore, she said that adjusting the electoral system to ensure smaller parties have a fair chance at entering Parliament could ensure that different political perspectives get a voice.
On the matter of districts, she thinks that there could be fewer, but larger, districts to maintain local representation and ensure that people are still well represented at regional level.
Thake concluded that all of this in tandem "would work for Malta" as it would maintain efficiency as fewer MPs could still make governance smoother, it would protect representation as proportional safeguards would prevent a power monopoly, and it would encourage political diversity as a balanced system could help smaller parties grow, ultimately "reducing extreme two-party dominance".
Andre Debattista
For his part, Debattista remarked that the Chamber's proposals are interesting and merit a widespread discussion.
He stated that Malta's number of MPs has increased exponentially, with the Legislative Assembly originally having 32 seats following the granting of self-governance in 1921. He continued that this then increased to 40 seats in 1947, to 50 seats in 1961, and to 65 seats in 1976. He said that following the 1987 election, Parliament was able to have as many as 69 seats if the party obtaining the largest number of votes did not obtain the largest number of seats. He commented that since the 2017 elections, parties could be given additional seats to reflect the proportion of votes given, and that following the 2022 election, the introduction of the gender-corrective mechanism means that there are up to 12 extra seats for candidates from the "under-represented sex".
Debattista commented that some might argue that having a very low number of electors per seat gives people added representation, but he argued that if citizen representation is to be improved, then other structures can be improved. "For example, local government has essentially been allowed to become near-ineffective over the years, with local councils having little say in much of what happens in their locality," he stated.
Referring to the Chamber's report, he said that it crucially proposes other amendments that would be necessary if the size of Parliament were to be reduced. "Namely, more assistance to MPs in research, media work, and the management of constituency affairs," he commented. He continued that this, rather than the size of Parliament, is crucial to effective representation.
"In other words, on what basis are MPs building their arguments? Do they have access to reliable research or are they basing everything on what constituents tell them? How can their time be more effectively managed when serving their constituents? What safeguards are there to minimise clientelism and nepotism?"
Debattista also spoke of another aspect of the Chamber's report, which he said highlights that the system of co-option can be abused. The Chamber's report states that "the current practice of co-opting individuals to the House who neither participated in the general election nor were selected by the party to contest in specific electoral districts must be discontinued". Debattista referred to this point as "crucial".
When it comes to the electoral districts, he said that he is "a little bit more hesitant to reduce them since our past experiences with modifying electoral boundaries were not necessarily done in good faith". He remarked that with political reforms in Malta, one has to always be wary of who will oversee the reforms and whose interests will be addressed.
He expressed that he also agrees with the proposal to give MPs and holders of constitutional offices higher salaries. However, he said that this should be accompanied by a stronger commitment to ensuring transparency. "For example, it is disturbing to note how some MPs move seamlessly from the hallowed corridors of power to providing consultancy to private firms and lobby groups just months after leaving office."
He continued that holding a constitutional office needs to be remunerated accordingly. "However, a constitutional office and a member of parliament also have specific responsibilities that preclude the office holder from certain positions for a time period after leaving office if policymaking is to be done - or seen to be done - in the interest of the common good. Elected officials and public persons must be committed to the highest standards of public life; public office, after all, is not a mere job but also a service offered to the broader community."
Roderick Pace
Providing his thoughts on the proposed reform, Professor Pace commented that it is crucial for the Chamber to voice its opinion on governance, and added that throughout its history, the Chamber has provided non-partisan perspectives on improving Malta's governance. He referred to the Chamber as a "trusted institution, distinct from political parties".
In regard to reducing the size of Parliament from 79 MPs to 45 MPs, Pace said that such a proposal is "worth discussing", but that it is "more urgent to emphasise that parliamentarians should work full-time". He remarked that they should receive adequate salaries as suggested by the Chamber, and be held accountable by a strict and enforceable code of ethics. He added that parliamentarians should not be allowed to practice their professions outside Parliament and that the demands of modern society render the "jack-of-all-trades" parliamentarian "obsolete".
Pace stated that parliamentary committees should focus on scrutiny, and not only legislation. He added that regulatory agencies should be distanced from the executive and be placed under stronger parliamentary scrutiny. "Additionally, we should discuss parliamentary autonomy within the broader debate on the separation of powers."
"For these reasons, I suggest maintaining Parliament at 55-65 members and merging electoral districts into one."
He commented that electoral reform is necessary, and that "we should not be swayed by exaggerated claims about the two-party system". He said that party coalitions can provide good governance if all parties are committed to debate and compromise. In Malta's case, he commented that the entry of other parties into the House of Representatives would signify inclusiveness and maturity, "potentially mitigating excessive partisanism".
Speaking on a separate issue, he commented that the presence of political parties in the broadcasting media sector is "excessive, outdated, and does not contribute to the development of our political culture". He remarked that political parties will have ample opportunities to express their views, but it should be the responsibility of the free media to convey these messages to the public. He said that there is no need for a "Goebbels" or a "Gabriele D'Annunzio" in a democracy.
Pace concluded that the Constitution of Malta should once more be central to the country's political system. "It is not the property of political parties but part of the social contract with the people. The former President of the Republic proposed a constitutional debate involving the public, which mysteriously disappeared. Why was that?"