Guest Post: Malta’s Voting System Is A Weak Excuse For Independent And Third Party Failures
Arnold Cassola has once again failed to secure a seat in the European Parliament despite receiving the third-highest number of first-count votes.
Critics quickly claimed that the voting system is rigged against third parties and independent candidates. However, this distracts from the real issue: an ineffective strategy and a longstanding inability to connect with a broad audience.
Cassola’s Performance in Context
Cassola’s performance this year, though improved from his disastrous showing in previous elections, still fell short, even if he trounced ADPD, other independents and even candidates of mainstream parties.
The 12,700 votes Cassola received are less than 5% of the national vote, 25,000 votes less than the actual electoral quota, and not representative of the 270,000 votes cast, which is what the Single Transferrable Vote sets out to do.
A First-Past-The-Post system, which his supporters seem to be advocating, is one of the least representative in the world and one that impacts third parties and independents the hardest. Just look at the UK and the Lib Dems or Green Party for evidence.
It would also radically shift voting patterns. In such a system, 87,000 would not have voted for Metsola, and the candidates who pipped Cassola to the post would have received more first-count votes.
Ireland’s Identical System Has Political Plurality
Ireland, which also uses the Single Transferrable Vote (STV), boasts a diverse political landscape.
Candidates from across four political parties and independent groupings have been elected to the European Parliament in the past and look to do the same this time. This also applies to national and regional elections, dumping any suggestions that the system and not the actual candidates themselves are to blame.
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola
Independents and Third Parties Are Plagued By Strategic Failures
Independent candidates and third parties in Malta have shown a lack of long-term electoral strategy, often jumping from election to election without substantial progress. Here’s why:
1. Fragmented Votes:
Independent and third-party candidates split votes instead of uniting. Over 21,000 first-count votes were divided among ADPD, Cassola, and Conrad Borg Manche despite significant overlap over their policy positions.
Pooling their limited resources behind one candidate could maximise their impact, but it has never been attempted. There is no concept of incremental, united growth, with independents and third-party candidates more interested in here-and-now results than long-term gains. This leads us to point #2.
2. Ego and Inability to Collaborate
Candidates often fail to recognise their limitations and refuse to step aside or collaborate despite long-term failures.
Despite his best intentions, Cassola has an awful track record in his 20-year history in Maltese politics. ADPD’ record is even worse.
Marlene Farrugia and Godfrey Farrugia bucked the trend in 2017 – making history by becoming the first third party to actually win seats into parliament. They did so off the back of a coalition with the PN.
Where was Cassola and AD? Tapping themselves on the back for a moral victory while receiving less than 1% of the national vote. A missed opportunity.
ADPD leader and newly-elected St Paul's Bay councillor Sandra Gauci
3. Neglecting the local to focus on the national
Local councils are critical for building political momentum, yet third parties rarely invest in these elections. For instance, ADPD has fielded only seven candidates across 68 localities this time round, undermining their national ambitions.
The journey from local to national is one well-trodden by political outsiders – and those within the two main political parties, with countless MPs and MEPs starting off in the councils before moving on to the bigger things.
It seems that ADPD and other candidates looking to shake up the system have forgotten the memo.
At least Conrad Borg Manche is taking the hint – and has contested in the local elections. We’ll soon find out if he is able to hold on to his mayorship.
4. Lack of Vision and Inspiration
Independent and third-party candidates often lack a clear, inspiring vision. They tend to be reactionary rather than proactive, leaving voters unsure of their platforms and goals.
Cassola is a great example of this. Sure, he’s been a constant advocate for green policies, but his proposals were nothing we hadn’t seen before, and that’s even if people even bothered to read them.
And while it’s certainly not scientific (don’t worry, the opinion polls don’t seem to be either), many people I met who were voting for Cassola rarely pointed to policy when explaining their vote. Character and a disdain for the two main political parties were the main factors.
Cassola is a great agony aunt on social media. But is that enough to sway tens of thousands of disgruntled your way? I don’t think so.
In conclusion…
The argument that Malta’s voting system prevents the election of independents and third parties is a convenient excuse for deeper issues. Until fundamental flaws are addressed, they will continue to struggle, regardless of the voting system in place.
Justin Falzon is a university student studying international relations