The Gozo Business Chamber has strongly opposed a proposed electoral reform that would merge Gozo’s electoral district with those of Mellieħa and Mġarr. The proposal, contained in the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise, and Industry’s document Electoral Reform: A New Approach to Malta’s Elections, has raised concerns about preserving Gozo’s distinct political identity and representation.
While the Chamber welcomed broader parliamentary reforms, it argued that grouping Gozo with other localities would undermine its territorial and political integrity. Article 61 of the Constitution of Malta was intended to avoid such fragmentation by ensuring that Gozo enjoys special representation in Parliament to care for its particular needs. The Chamber reiterates its view that the status of Gozo as a region should be consolidated and not diluted.
Meanwhile, independent politician Arnold Cassola and the Momentum Party have proposed an alternative reform that maintains Gozo as a standalone electoral district. Their plan suggests dividing Malta into four districts each electing 10 MPs while Gozo would elect five MPs on its own. Such a structure would overrepresent Gozo slightly due to its “double insularity” but it would reduce the electoral threshold in Malta from 16.6% to 9%, thus easing the entry of smaller parties into Parliament.
Cassola also attacked the entrenchment of the two-party system, stating that Malta “urgently needs a third voice in Parliament” and that the major parties are opposed to change because this would loosen their grip on power. He confirmed that Momentum is ready to move this forward in an upcoming meeting with the President.
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