ADPD, PN oppose PL plans for electoral district changes

Updated at 6pm with PL reaction 

The ADPD has called out the PN and PL for their gerrymandering of electoral districts.

According to the Green Party, the two big parties’ proposals for reshaping electoral districts show how they are only trying to serve their respective interests.

Last February, MaltaToday revealed the PL's proposed plans to change the electoral district boundaries. Among other changes, the governing party proposed that Marsaskala, Birkirkara, Pieta, and Naxxar be split up in different districts.

ADPD secretary general Ralph Cassar said, “The fact remains that the electoral system, created by and agreed upon by them (the PL and PN) is vulnerable to gerrymandering…”

READ ALSO: Malta’s new parties want an end to ‘gerrymandering’ in country’s electoral system

Cassar noted that historically, each of the two parties have always tinkered with the districts to further their interests, and that is what the PL is currently trying to do. “In a good electoral system, the way districts are identified makes no difference to election results,” he noted.

Meanwhile, ADPD chairperson Sandra Gauci recalled how her party is currently involved in a legal battle over the current electoral system, noting that the system is such that some votes no longer count.

“That’s why we want a good electoral system, so it leaves no doors open for the PL and PN’s gerrymandering.” She said that today, the PN has to abide by what the PL decides on the matter, “but both of them are happy because they know that when it’s their turn, they will meddle and maneuver so their party benefits.”

PN says it will vote against government's proposals

In a statement, the PN said that the proposed changes to the electoral districts put forward by Labour-nominated members of the Electoral Commission risk weakening the voice of residents by unnecessarily dividing key localities. 

The PN opposed these divisions and has submitted a minority report calling for localities to remain whole within a single district wherever possible. “The only exception was Madliena, which, being a hamlet, was proposed to be shifted on its own to a different district.”

The PN said will vote against government’s report in parliament and support the minority report.

PN adopting partisan approach – Labour Party

Reacting to the Nationalist Party’s statement, the Labour Party criticised it for adopting a partisan approach to the issue.

“It seems that the PN is clinging to every issue to turn it into a partisan one in the hope of trying to score some cheap political points. This is yet another confirmation of how the PN puts its own interests before that of the people,” the PL said.

It said the changes proposed in the main report of the Electoral Commission were made in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, and therefore the changes respect elements of geographical proximity and variation in population density, as compared to the common quota for each district.

“Thus, the number of electors between the first and twelfth districts would reflect the electoral quota.”

The proposed changes from the first to the twelfth districts will affect about 21,000 voters.

“This amount contrasts with the changes proposed in the minority report, namely from the members of the Nationalist Party in the Electoral Commission, as the number of voters affected is around 186,000 people,” the PL said. “These figures dispel the criticism being made by the Nationalist Party, which is now saying that it will not vote in favour of these proposed changes, because according to it they will ‘weaken’ the localities.

“The Nationalist Party is also contradicting what it did four years ago, when the key proposals were based on the same principles and eventually voted with the Government and against the minority report.”