Momentum wants to keep Gozo as standalonE ELCTORAL DISTRICT

Momentum has expressed concern over proposed changes to Malta’s electoral districts, currently under discussion in Parliament, warning that both major political parties are advancing self-serving proposals that risk weakening the country’s democratic framework.

In a statement, Momentum said the reforms submitted by the Labour Party appear to benefit the ruling government, while counter-proposals from the Nationalist Party also seem tailored to serve partisan interests. “This goes expressly against the President’s call for fairer representation in Parliament of the country’s diverse political voices,” the group said.

Back in February, the Labour and Nationalist Party electoral commissioners submitted their respective proposals for how Malta’s electoral districts should be redrawn. The discussions form part of a wider review of Malta’s electoral system, which has long faced criticism for entrenching a two-party system and limiting smaller parties’ chances of winning seats.

Currently, Malta is divided into 13 electoral districts, each electing five members of Parliament, for a total of 65 elected seats. Additional seats are then added through constitutional mechanisms to ensure proportionality, bringing the current total to 79 MPs. 

The present structure requires a candidate or party to secure at least 16.6% of the vote in a district to win a seat—a threshold critics say disadvantages smaller parties and independent candidates.

Speaking on behalf of Momentum, Mark Camilleri Gambin said the group supports introducing a national quota system with a 3% threshold as a pathway toward greater proportionality. He also backed a proposal by the Chamber of Commerce to reduce the number of districts to five, each electing nine MPs.

Building on this, Momentum proposed that Gozo retain its status as a standalone electoral district, electing five MPs, to safeguard its distinct identity and account for its geographic isolation. The remaining four districts in Malta would each elect ten MPs. While this would result in slight overrepresentation for Gozo, Momentum argued this is justified by the island’s double insularity.

The proposed changes would reduce the effective district threshold from 16.6% to roughly 9%. 

While still high by European standards, the group described this as a step toward a more open and pluralistic political system. “We hope this process prioritises the national interest over partisan gain,” Gambin said.