Introduction
We now have the complete list of candidates for the European Parliament in Malta, 39 in total. 13 of them are independent candidates – all men. That’s 10% higher than the amount of female candidates from all the political parties.
In summary, in order as we will be listed on the ballot sheet: ABBA (ECPM) – 2 candidates (50% women); ADPD (Greens) – 4 candidates (50% women, 25% non binary); Imperium Ewropa (Fascists) – 2 candidates; Partit Laburista (PES) – 9 candidates (22% women); Partit Nazzjonalista (EPP) – 8 candidates (50% women); Volt – 1 candidate; Independents – 13 candidates.
Compared to 5 years ago, there are 6 candidates less overall. With the main difference being independents, and PN (10 in 2019) and PL (14 in 2019) who are presenting more restricted lists. This might favour PLPN in Single Transferable Vote as there would be less division of 1st count votes within their own lists, and higher chance of retaining votes through subsequent counts.
ADPD as the 3rd largest party; independents; and the work of the European Parliament
Amongst the so-called 3rd parties and independents, ADPD remain the biggest party. This year we will see the colour green on a ballot sheet for the first time in Malta’s electoral history, and I am so proud that it is with a progressively gender balanced list.
Amongst the independent candidates we see most fragmentation of the small right and extreme right wing parties (ABBA, Partit Popolari, Moviment Patrijotti Maltin). With former candidates and party members running on their own.
There are more independent candidates, 13 now compared to 5 in 2019. 3 of those who stood in 2019 are standing again (Cassola, Zaren, Florian). Independent candidates will be the main story this election, Cassola and Ryder (James Michael Muscat) already have been. The press needs to make it clear to voters that in the unlikely scenario that any of the independent candidates were to get elected, they will start out in the European Parliament as a NI – Non-Inscrits. These are MEPs who do not belong to a recognised political group. They can negotiate their entry into political groups, and this is a process that can take substantial time. More often than not, even if they join a group, they lose out, as compared to the group members coming from European political parties, their portfolio priorities would barely be considered, and they have less chance to author reports. If they remain as NI, they have even less power, with less allocated resources or staff.
Post-election realism
In fact, regardless of what we say as candidates in this election about our priorities, few of us have the weight to negotiate portfolios in our respective groups. Metsola, particularly Metsola, and Casa as incumbent MEPs of course have more influence within the European People’s Party (EPP – where PN is a member). Alex Agius Saliba would have some in the S&D (PL is a member of PES – Party of European Socialists).
I would argue that with my 5 years of volunteering within the Federation of Young European Greens, and now 2 years as a committee member of the European Greens, I have the most soft influence of all other candidates to score good portfolios, in my case from within the Green Group. Influence that I would also use to negotiate portfolios for my running mates Sandra Gauci, Ralph Cassar, and Rachelle Deguara should they be elected.
When it comes to other parties, ABBA forms part of a new ECPM, which would need 23 MEPs from at least 25% of Member States across EU to form a political group (chances: very low), Imperium Ewropa is not affiliated to anyone and would be too far right for even the ID group (Salvini and friends), and VOLT, like ECPM would not be able to form their own group, and therefore would need to negotiate entry into another group. In 2019, Volt’s one MEP from Germany joined the Greens/EFA group.
Where do candidates stand on a political scale?
There’s around 66% of the candidates that I would consider centre-right to extreme-right on a Maltese scale. On the centre-left to left-wing scale we are considerably fewer. But I would need a bit more time to place everyone on a scale depending on the political positions they will be taking in the next few weeks.
I definitely think that Rachelle Deguara and myself are the most left-wing candidates in this election in Malta. Which would translate roughly to a progressive eco-socialist at the European Parliament.
Can a green candidate win one seat?
Yes we can. I will not be naive. If there are any chances for us as ADPD, it is Sandra Gauci. If we win a seat, it will be Sandra Gauci. This is why I have been supporting her MEP campaign for the past year and her campaign in the 2022 general elections, often to the detriment of my own. A lot can happen in 39 days that could make or break this election. From my position within the green campaign I can attest to us working more cohesively as a team than 5 years ago, with more volunteers, and a momentum that we have kept up since the 2022 elections.
What we need now is for people to have the courage to give us their number 1 vote. STV should be used to its full potential, and 2nd preference votes be distributed to our candidates. Anyone who stops their vote on 1 count, is not using it to its full potential. Anyone who limits their votes within the PL or PN lists is not using their vote to send a message to the establishment. Our system allows us the most flexibility to reflect our top preferences, and we should use that.
I would be honoured to be one of your top six preferences.
MJ Tolu 
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