Updated | Election gender corrective mechanism a step closer to becoming law

A corrective mechanism to ensure gender parity in parliament has been approved at committee stage paving the way for more women to become MPs.

The mechanism only requires to be cleared at Third Reading stage in parliament and will be in place for the next general election.

If the under-represented sex comprises less than 40% of all seats after the election outcome is known, the mechanism will kick in to elect a maximum of 12 additional MPs – six on either side of the House.

It will only kick in if two parties are elected to parliament and will remain in force for 20 years.

Government rejected an Opposition proposal to have the mechanism apply even if MPs from more than two political parties are elected.

However, an Opposition proposal to have the gender corrective mechanism entrenched in the Constitution was approved.

The mechanism will determine the number of additional seats to be filled by the under-represented gender and in the first phase, those candidates left hanging at the last count will be automatically elected.

In the second phase, a rank order of unelected candidates is drawn up on the basis of their last count vote expressed as a percentage of the district quota.

The mechanism enjoys cross-party support.

The Consideration of Bills Committee chaired by Labour MP Ian Castaldi Paris also approved a change to increase the members of the Electoral Commission and ensure that 40% of its members are women.

Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis described the amendments as a historic development.

The other members of the committee were Labour MPs Rosianne Cutajar and Oliver Scicluna, and Nationalist MPs Hermann Schiavone, Claudette Buttigieg and Joseph Ellis.

READ ALSO: Which women candidates would have been elected if the mechanism was applied to the 2017 election