Civil society NGO Repubblika has launched Democratic Vision 2050, an extensive roadmap for the reconstruction of Malta’s democratic institutions, with recommendations for institutional reforms, improved checks and balances, and a citizen-led overhaul of the Constitution. The proposal is in sharp contrast with the government’s Vision 2050 plan, which Repubblika says focuses too much on economic growth at the detriment of the democratic values that underpin a fair society.
Unveiled during a press conference in Valletta, the document outlines eight essential pillars aimed at restoring trust in the country’s institutions, reversing systemic corruption, and protecting civic liberties. The launch coincided with Repubblika’s monthly vigil held in memory of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, marking nearly eight years since her assassination.
“This is not a partisan manifesto, but a call for a republic worth fighting for, founded on truth, memory and freedom,” Repubblika President Vicki Ann Cremona said. “We are not merely consumers. We are citizens. A national vision should speak of justice, dignity, and democratic participation.”
Core proposals: From party-free media to citizen-centred reform
Among its most striking proposals, Democratic Vision 2050 calls for:
- Complete ban on political party-owned media, arguing that party control undermines freedom of the press and public trust in journalism.
- Public funding of investigative journalism and journalist training programs to support an independent and knowledgeable media landscape.
- Constitutional reform through an inclusive process involving legal experts, civil society, and a citizens’ assembly, and culminating in a national referendum.
- Stronger, independent regulators with real enforcement powers to combat corruption, investigate abuse, and refer cases to prosecution.
- Reform of the judiciary, for example by allowing the Chief Justice to set national standards and making the courts more accountable to the public.
Activist and former journalist Manuel Delia emphasised the need to reconcile Malta’s past. “Democracy cannot survive if built on strategic amnesia. Truth and memory must guide our future,” he said, referring to decades of political violence, clientelism, and impunity.
Beyond partisan politics: A new role for local councils
Repubblika’s vision is to transform local government, proposing non-partisan local councils with greater autonomy on issues such as planning and social services. Local authorities, the NGO argues, must be recognised as democratic institutions in their own right – not as extensions of national party structures.
This argument echoes a long-standing debate dating back to the 1993 establishment of local councils, when the Labour Party originally opposed their creation on the grounds that they ought to be free from political party affiliation.
Transparent politics and ethical leadership
To restore public faith in political life, the vision document calls for public financing of political parties, conditional on transparency, internal democracy, and civic participation. This system, it argues, would reduce the influence of big donors and backroom deals corrupting policymaking.
The organization also calls for a a stronger code of ethics for elected officials, one that establishes not only what is legal, but what is ethically correct.
In a bid to end the culture of patronage, Repubblika demands clear regulations for public spending and a crackdown on the use of government jobs or contracts to secure political loyalty.
A republic for all: From citizenship to civic education
The document lays out proposals to make enhancing citizenship, such as:
- End to the cash-for-passports scheme, replaced by a fair, transparent citizenship-by-merit programme.
- Rights of inclusive citizenship, with equality of access to services, civic education, and democratic participation – particularly for women, children, migrants, and vulnerable communities.
- A new, enforceable Bill of Rights embedding civil liberties, social justice, environmental sustainability, and digital freedoms.
Delia argued that citizenship “is not a gift or a privilege the government can withhold – it is a partnership in a democratic community.”
The organization recognizes the importance of imparting civic education, rights, responsibilities, and critical thinking at an early age in schools to promote active citizenship.
Constitutional renewal and public oversight
Repubblika is calling for comprehensive constiutional reform to curb executive dominance and allow Parliament and the judiciary to carry out meaningful oversight. The organization insists that this reform must be citizen-led and not imposed from Castille.
They propose a three-step process: legal and civic stakeholders draft the reforms, a citizens’ assembly randomly selected refines the proposals, and a national referendum finalises them.
Repubblika has published the Democratic Vision 2050 online and is inviting citizens, civil society, and institutions to participate in a discussion and co-design a new democratic future. The document, they say, will serve as a launchpad for legislative advocacy and civic campaigns in the coming years.
“Democracy doesn’t arrive ready-made,” Delia concluded. “We must build it, together.”
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