2024_European_Parliament_election_in_Malta

2024 European Parliament election in Malta

2024 European Parliament election in Malta

2019 election of six members of the European parliament allocated for Malta

The 2024 European Parliament election will be held in Malta on 8 June 2024 in tandem with local elections.[1] It will be the fifth election to the European Parliament. Malta will elect 6 of the 720 Members of the European Parliament.[2] EU citizens aged 16 and over are entitled to vote, provided they have registered to do so.[1] Six different political parties have announced their participation, only 2 of these won seats in the last election these being the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party, with 4 and 2 seats respectively.[3]

Quick Facts All 6 Maltese seats in the European Parliament, First party ...

Standing of Maltese seats in the EU Parliament

More information Party, European Party ...

MEPs not standing for re-election

More information Departing MEP, Party ...

Participating parties/candidates

The below parties and/or independent candidates have declared their participation in the upcoming European Parliament elections in order of candidate quantity. The following source covers a list of candidates as of 14 April 2024.[7] Another source for this list is Electoral Commission press releases, which includes candidacies not reported at all by the media. Times of Malta released a final list after nominations closed.[8] A record total number of 39 candidates shall contest this election, also a record 13 of such being independents.[9]

More information Party, European Party ...

The People's Party did not put forward any candidates.

Campaign

Labour Party

Nationalist Party

AD+PD

Imperium Europa

ABBA

ABBA started its campaign with two events organised in conjunction with the European Christian Political Movement party on 6 April 2024 in a Qawra hotel on 'Reclaiming the power for the member states'. Two pairs of individual speakers addressed the two consecutive events which revolved around 'Sovereignty and Healthcare' and 'Education and Foreign Policy'. Romanian MEP Cristian Terheș and party leader Ivan Grech Mintoff addressed the first meeting, with Valeriu Ghilețchi and lawyer and broadcaster Emmanuel 'Emmy' Bezzina addressed the second meeting.[28]

Four days before the election, therefore 4th June, Ivan Grech Mintoff resigned his leadership and membership of ABBA party. This comes after an open rift between Grech Mintoff and party secretary general Simon Elmer appeared on Grech Mintoff's protest method, that of egging the floor in debates he attends.[29] Nevertheless, Grech Mintoff shall still appear on the ballot as a member and leader of the party.

Volt Malta

Volt's campaign began with the adoption of their joint European election programme November 2023 in Paris, which the party shares with all other parties from Volt Europa.[30] On 1 February 2024, Volt announced its Vice President Matthias Iannis Portelli as its first (and only) candidate for the European elections.[31]

Independents

Allegations of voter fraud

This section is an excerpt from 2024 Maltese local elections § Pre-election.[edit]

Maltese courts on 24 May 2024 annulled the ID card residence registration of 99 'ghost voters' who illegally changed such voter registration address to unfinished and uninhabitable flat addresses in Siġġiewi following a successful lawsuit per illegaly registered voter by the Nationalist Party in opposition.[32] The legal battle involved 22 magistrates and took three weeks. This led to housing minister Roderick Galdes being disparagingly titled 'Electoral Fraud Minister' by Opposition-affiliated media NET.[33] This heavily implicates that the Labour Party stood to benefit from such voter address registration changes with also a win for said Labour Party further consolidated as such.[34]

Voting cards issued to deceased voters

Ex-ABBA leader Ivan Grech Mintoff alleged in a debate on Maltese national broadcaster Television Malta that a voter who has been dead for two years has been issued a voting card for the 2024 election, stating "F'din l-elezzjoni ħa jerġgħu jivvotaw il-mejtin" (English: In this election, dead people are going to vote again). Newsbook confirmed said deceased voter's identity and document and stated that such cases were not isolated. The Electoral Commission did not answer questions sent by Newsbook on these concerns.[35]

Similarly in August 2023, a whistleblower made claims that deceased people's identities were used to vote for the Labour Party in the 2022 general election.[36]

Electoral system

MEPs are elected from a nationwide six-seat constituency by single transferable vote.[37] Candidates who pass the Hagenbach-Bischoff quota in the first round are elected, and any surplus votes transferred to the remaining candidates, who will be elected if this enables them to pass the quota.[37] The lowest ranked candidates are then eliminated one-by-one with their preferences transferred to other candidates, who are elected as they pass the quotient, until all six seats are filled.

Debates

More information Date, Time ...

Opinion polling

See also: Opinion polling for the 2024 European Parliament election

It is not uncommon for smaller parties to be grouped together or excluded in polls by Maltese media houses.

More information Polling firm, Sample size ...

Notes

  1. Not contesting a EP seat
  2. No longer member and leader of the party since 4 June 2024, shall however appear on ballot papers as such.
  3. Combined result of Democratic Alternative and Democratic Party vote shares before party merger
  4. As Alliance for Change
  5. Stage name mistakenly reported as proper name by media. The proper name according to the official Electoral Commissioner press release — meaning which will appear on the ballot — is James Michael Muscat.[22]
  6. Attended but left midway.
  7. Attended but left after first question.
  8. Was not part of the debate but was granted 2 minutes floor time.
  9. Excluded from calculation for the party percentages.
  10. Sister newspaper of 'It-Torċa', a GWU-owned newspaper, closely aligned to the Labour Party.
  11. Survey was candidate based, thus the quantity in 'Other' will definitely include parties listed here and might overflow 100%. Percentages brought about by combining candidate first-preference vote shares. Thus the lead percentage and winning party may not be realistic.
  12. Sister newspaper of 'L-Orizzont', a GWU-owned newspaper, closely aligned to the Labour Party.

    References

    1. [1]
      "Malta - How to vote". European elections 2024: all you need to know. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
    2. [2]
      "L_2023238DE.01011401.xml". eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 2024-02-12.
    3. [3]
      "2019 European election results". election-results.eu. Retrieved 2019-05-26.
    4. [4]
      "Labour MEP Josianne Cutajar will not seek re-election". Times of Malta. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
    5. [5]
      "'Malta Deserves Change': Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer Opts Out Of Re-election". Lovin Malta. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
    6. [6]
      "[WATCH] Alfred Sant will not contest next European Parliament election". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
    7. [7]
      Diacono, Tim (2024-04-14). "These Are All Of Malta's MEP Candidates So Far". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
    8. [8]
      "Who are Malta's 39 MEP candidates?". Times of Malta. 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
    9. [9]
      "Record number of independents are running for MEP". Times of Malta. 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
    10. [10]
      Mamo, Matthew (16 February 2024). "Il-PN japprova kandidat ieħor għall-elezzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew" [PN approves another candidate for the European Parliament elections]. Newsbook Malta (in Maltese). Retrieved 9 April 2024. Bartolo b'hekk jingħaqad mal-MEPs Roberta Metsola u David Casa, kif ukoll ma' David Agius, Peter Agius, Miriana Calleja Testaferrata de Noto, Norma Camilleri u LouiseAnne Pulis, li kienu approvati bħala kandidati matul l-aħħar xhur. [Bartolo thus joins MEPs Roberta Metsola and David Casa, as well as David Agius, Peter Agius, Miriana Calleja Testaferrata de Noto, Norma Camilleri and LouiseAnne Pulis, who were approved as candidates during the last months.]
    11. [11]
      Micallef, Shaun (2023-02-22). "ADPD Announces Candidates For 2024 MEP Elections". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
    12. [12]
      Camilleri, Maria Daniela (4 April 2024). "L-ADPD iħabbar r-raba' kandidat għall-elezzjonijiet tal-Parlament Ewropew" [ADPD announces its fourth candidate for the European Parliament elections]. Newsbook Malta (in Maltese). Retrieved 9 April 2024.
    13. [13]
      Diacono, Tim (2023-12-07). "Norman Lowell Emerges As Most Popular MEP Candidate In Lovin Malta Online Poll". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
    14. [14]
      Diacono, Tim (2024-03-26). "Malta Out, Ukraine In? Candidates Send Maltese Flag To European Parliament Office In Protest". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
    15. [15]
      "Volt Malta's first MEP election candidate, Matthias Iannis Portelli". Volt Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
    16. [16]
      "Volt Malta announces first MEP election candidate". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
    17. [17]
      "Nominations submitted today Saturday 27th April, 2024, between 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m." electoral.gov.mt. Electoral Commission of Malta. 27 April 2024.
    18. [18]
      Muscat, Gavin (9 April 2024). "Edwin Vassallo se jikkontesta l-elezzjoni tal-PE" [Edwin Vassallo shall be contesting the EP election]. Newsbook Malta (in Maltese). Retrieved 11 April 2024.
    19. [19]
      "Former parliamentary secretary Edwin Vassallo to stand for MEP elections". Times of Malta. 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
    20. [20]
      "Edwin Vassallo to contest European elections, but not with the Nationalist Party". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
    21. [21]
      "Former PN parliamentary secretary to contest MEP election - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
    22. [22]
      https://electoral.gov.mt/pr1-25-04-2024-en
    23. [23]
      Urpani, David Grech (2024-04-05). "Watch: 'Buckle Up And Settle Down' - James Ryder Officially Launches MEP Campaign". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
    24. [24]
      Diacono, Tim (2024-04-06). "Watch: 'I Think I Can Get Elected' - James Ryder's First Interview As 'Clown' MEP Candidate". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
    25. [25]
      Diacono, Tim (2024-04-25). "John Dalli Signs Simon Mercieca's Nomination To Contest MEP Election". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
    26. [26]
      "Historian-blogger Simon Mercieca to contest for MEP with former Abba candidates". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
    27. [27]
      "MEP 2024 - NOMINATIONS RECEIVED 26/04/2024 ALL DAY". electoral.gov.mt. Electoral Commission. 26 April 2024.
    28. [28]
      "Reclaiming the power for the member states". Abba Party. 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
    29. [29]
      "Four days before election, MEP candidate Ivan Grech Mintoff offers resignation as Partit ABBA leader". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
    30. [30]
      Ismailai, Roza (2023-12-18). "PartyParty Attends: VOLT Europa Congress". PartyParty. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
    31. [31]
      "Volt Malta announces first MEP election candidate". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
    32. [32]
      Balzan, Jurgen (24 May 2024). "Court strikes off all 99 'ghost voters' in Siġġiewi electoral fraud case". Newsbook.com. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
    33. [33]
      Falzon, Julia (2024-05-26). "Roderick Galdes deskritt bħala l-Ministru "tal-Frodi Elettorali"" [Roderick Galdes described as Minister "for Electoral Fraud"]. NETnews (in Maltese). Retrieved 2024-05-26.
    34. [34]
      "Updated: PN wins all cases related to Siggiewi voter fraud - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-05-26. Nationalist Party says that Labour Party tried to steal Siggiewi local council through voter fraud. - (PN General Secretary Michael) Piccinino said that the Nationalist Party is being careful to make sure that the election process is just, clean, and transparent. He continued that the PN opened these cases to ensure that the electoral registry is one which reflects reality. He added that everything which the government has done in this situation deserves to be condemned, and that the PL tried to steal the Siggiewi local council.
    35. [35]
      ""Ħa jivvutaw il-mejtin" – Ivan Grech Mintoff" ["The dead are going to vote" – Ivan Grech Mintoff]. Newsbook.com.mt (in Maltese). Newsbook Malta ra b'għajnejh id-dokument u jikkonferma li mhux każ iżolat. [Newsbook Malta confirmed with its eyes the document and confirms that this is not an isolated case.]
    36. [36]
      "Dead people's identities were used to vote for Labour, whistleblower claims". Times of Malta. 2023-08-22. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
    37. [37]
      "How Malta Votes: An Overview - Malta Elections". University of Malta. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
    38. [38]
      EWROAGORA - European Values | EWROAGORA - European Values 21.02.2024 13:00 CET Hotel Phoenicia, Floriana | By KNŻ - Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-ŻgħażagħFacebook. Retrieved 2024-05-26 – via www.facebook.com.
    39. [39]
      EWROAGORA - The Climate Crisis | EWROAGORA - The Climate Crisis | By KNŻ - Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-ŻgħażagħFacebook. Retrieved 2024-05-26 – via www.facebook.com.
    40. [40]
      [httpss://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2024-03-22/local-news/MEP-candidates-differ-in-opinions-on-environmental-priorities-and-migration-in-University-debate-6736259629 "MEP candidates differ in opinions on environmental priorities and migration in University debate - The Malta Independent"]. www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
    41. [41]
      EWROAGORA: Malta & Europe | EWROAGORA: Malta & Europe 03.04.2024 13:00 CET Aula Magna, University of Malta Valletta Campus | By KNŻ - Kunsill Nazzjonali taż-ŻgħażagħFacebook. Retrieved 2024-05-26 – via www.facebook.com.
    42. [42]
      "Empowering Europe - MEPs in Dialogue". The Malta Chamber. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
    43. [43]
      "Strengthening Europe - MEPs in Dialogue". The Malta Chamber. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
    44. [44]
      "MEP candidates debate environment, defence to sparsely attended university event". Times of Malta. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
    45. [45]
      "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
    46. [46]
      Diacono, Tim (2024-05-15). "Watch: PL's Steve Ellul Urges People Of Israel To 'Get Rid Of Netanyahu'". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
    47. [47]
      "Enhancing Europe - MEPs in Dialogue". The Malta Chamber. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
    48. [48]
      L-Għażla għall-Ewropa: Il-bniedem baqagħlu valur? | L-Għażla għall-Ewropa: Il-bniedem baqagħlu valur? Dibattitu bejn kandidati għall-elezzjonijiet tal-Parlament Ewropew | By Newsbook MaltaFacebook. Retrieved 2024-05-22 – via www.facebook.com.
    49. [49]
      Diacono, Tim (2024-05-23). "Watch: PL Candidate Faces Debate Backlash After Urging All Six MEPs To 'Pull The Same Rope'". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
    50. [50]
      Popolin - TVMi.mt. 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-05-23 – via tvmi.mt.
    51. [51]
      Lia, Gabriel. "L-Għażla għall-Ewropa: Meritokrazija jew lil min taf?".
    Share this article:

    This article uses material from the Wikipedia article 2024_European_Parliament_election_in_Malta, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.