Parliament on Monday passed a motion to approve a report from last February, which proposes adjustments to Malta’s electoral district boundaries.

The vote passed despite a division being called, with 41 voting in favour, and 31 against.

The move is required to take place every two to five years, due to population shifts and constitutional obligations, but it has sparked strong debate between the government and the Opposition over the scope and fairness of the proposed changes.

The Labour Party supported the majority report of the Commission, which affects around 21,000 voters. It proposes limited changes to the electoral districts, while splitting some localities to maintain constitutional balance.

The Nationalist Party backed the minority report, advocating a more radical redrawing of district lines that would preserve locality integrity, even if it affects over 186,000 voters.

Last week, Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon argued that the Commission’s majority report remains within constitutional limits and better maintains geographical proximity.

He also criticised the minority report for proposing sweeping changes and warned that such adjustments could destabilise the system.

PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami said that today’s district boundaries must adhere to constitutional principles: equal district sizes, geographical coherence, and avoidance of partisan manipulation.

Fenech Adami strongly opposed the splitting of large localities such as Birkirkara and Naxxar under the majority proposal, describing it as irrational and politically skewed.

He called on Parliament to reject the report and send the proposal back to the Commission for a fairer revision based on logic and locality integrity.