Here’s What Small Political Parties In Malta Have Done In Week Three Of Their Election Campaign
Another week has passed since the general election was announced, meaning that once again Malta’s political parties have released another barrage of statements and proposals for the next political term.
This week has been particularly chaotic and probably a bit difficult to keep up with, so here is a rundown of what Malta’s smaller political parties and independent candidates have done in the past seven days:
Arnold Cassola
Calls for Prime Minister Robert Abela to come clean about passport sales
Earlier this week, Cassola called for Prime Minister Robert Abela to come clean about how many Maltese passports he has sold to Russian oligarchs through his and his wife Lydia Abela’s law firm Abela and Advocates.
This comes just after the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of a ban on golden passport schemes by the year 2025.
Introduction of a two-year moratorium on high rises
Cassola called for the introduction of a two-year moratorium on the construction of new high rise buildings in Malta, to allow Maltese to reflect on the past and plan for the future.
He has criticised the high-rise buildings in Malta for “burying and hiding our beautiful vernacular buildings”.
Revert back to traditional fishing methods
Enforcement needs to be put in place to limit fishing practices in Malta to traditional methods in order to allow biodiversity in our waters to recover, Cassola stated.
ADPD
Honours International Women’s Day
On International Women’s Day, ADPD mourned all of Malta’s victims of gender-based violence, as well as calling for changes in the electoral system so all women are given a chance at being represented in parliament.
Calls for a greener Malta
Unsurprisingly, given that ADPD is Malta’s green party, they have called for measures to make Malta greener. Some measures include allowing for more open spaces, free of pollution and free access to clean air.
They also suggested that photo-voltaic panels should be installed on all public buildings, factories and commercial enterprises, as well as have all new buildings be carbon neutral.
Calls for improved mental health services
Dr Anthony Buttigieg, a medical doctor and ADPD candidate, called for mental health to be prioritised with increased investment going towards mental health services and institutions.
Decriminalisation of abortion
ADPD stated that abortion should be decriminalised and that women who go through abortions need support.
They also called for clear amendments to be made to medical intervention laws so that it is clear as to what medical interventions are permissible should complications arise during pregnancy, which could put a woman’s life at risk.
ABBA
Incorrectly calls the morning after pill ‘abortive’
During the notorious election debate held at the University of Malta, ABBA leader Ivan Grech Mintoff falsely called the morning after pill abortive.
The morning-after pill is an emergency contraceptive that temporarily stops or delays ovulation (the release of a fertile egg from an ovary). It prevents pregnancies from happening and will not terminate pregnancies that have already been established.
Spreading such misinformation is harmful and detrimental to society as it causes unnecessary and unjustified stigma.
Partit Popolari
Pledge to improve fertility rates in Malta
When this pledge was released, there was no scientific explanation as to how this would be executed.
However, the right-wing party mentioned that stay-at-home parents would be paid the minimum wage for doing so and be excluded from income tax for 10 years once they join the workforce again.
It is important to note that Malta is currently the most densely and overpopulated country in the EU but also has the EU’s lowest fertility rate.
Stance on Maltese citizenship
Partit Popolari has said that Maltese citizenship should only be granted to people who have Maltese parents and/or of Maltese descent.
Volt
Launches pledge for honest politics
This week, Volt launched a pledge for honest politics, with the aim of fighting clientelism in Maltese politics. They have invited candidates from across the political spectrum in Malta to sign the pledge.
Reproductive and sexual rights are human rights
On International Women’s Day, Volt reminded people that reproductive and sexual rights are human rights.
They called for students in schools to be given a better, more age-appropriate, standard, factual and inclusive sexual education.
They also reiterated calls for the decriminalisation of abortion and increasing access to contraceptives in Malta.
What do you make of these proposals?
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