Malta

Since the emergence of the Maltese two-party system in the 1970s, the country has been characterized by high political polarization, broadly divided into a conservative and religious elite, on the one hand, and a nascent liberal and anti-clerical counter-elite on the other. The cleavage is reflected in the two main political parties (the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party) and the strong partisan mentality, which has divided the Maltese population and created a corrosive political environment. This is also perpetuated by the government’s capacity to dominate the political arena due to the country’s size and the prevalence of clientelism. Additionally, Malta faces serious corruption challenges and is economically reliant on an ecosystem in which corruption can thrive, for instance through its passport sale scheme that has long been criticized by civil society. The country is also struggling with its evolving and more diverse Maltese identity since joining the EU in 2004. The EU membership introduced a shift from a strong insular, traditional and national identity to a more regional, Mediterranean and European one. As Malta’s foreign-born population grows, migration policy that addresses both legal and illegal migration continues to be a political concern.

There have been various attempts to improve tools of governance such as constitutional reforms and reforms against corruption, although it is particularly in Impartial Administration and Checks on Government where weaknesses remain. To reinvigorate parliament, one important development is the discussion about shifting from a part-time to full-time parliament to spur legislative progress, in combination with additional reforms geared towards improving women’s parliamentary representation. In recent years, Malta has addressed deficiencies in tackling financial crime, as highlighted by the G7 initiative Financial Action Task Force and has managed to be removed from its grey list. The Maltese financial system, however, continues to be monitored closely and has room to improve in fundamental aspects such as transparency, accountability and good governance. Press freedom is an urgent concern, and Media Integrity and Freedom of Expression may continue to suffer unless the country starts implementing the recommendations resulting from the 2021 public inquiry. Malta also faces serious environmental policy challenges such as water scarcity and pollution. To include those particularly affected and formulate effective responses to these challenges, Civil Society Participation and Representative Government will be particularly fundamental in the years to come.