PN says 'defective' Labour motion led to disenfranchisement of votes

PL accuses electoral commissioners appointed by PN of shooting down proposal to include voters who turned 18 in March.

Adds new detail on commission members who first voted in favour of extended voters list

The Labour party says the Electoral Commission’s referendum writ published yesterday means that those who turned 18 after 1 October 2010 will not be available to vote in the 28 May divorce referendum.

Labour said this will affect 2,800 voters who are of voting age.

“The electoral commissioners nominated by the Opposition had proposed a solution that would permit the inclusion of these youths in the referendum.

“The resolution approved in parliament allows the Commission to publish the writ on 18 April after the President signs the writ within 15 days of publication. This would have allowed all those who turned 18 after 31 March 2011 to vote,” the PL said in a statement.

Labour said the Commission had first agreed on this system but then the commissioners appointed by the Nationalist party changed their position.

In another statement, Labour said the Electoral Commission accepted the Opposition’s proposal had been accepted by the members appointed by the Prime Minister. “Two commission members nominated by the Prime Minister voted in favour, another voted against, and one was absent.

“After this clear decision, there was a rethink from this side of the commission and the decision was then overturned.”

The news was met with the condemnation of the pro-divorce lobby Moviment Iva, but the PN said in a statement that it was the result of Labour's parliamentary motion.

“We condemn this move… it could have been avoided by publishing the writ in mid-April," Moviment Iva said. "We condemn this decision to deny the democratic rights of thousands of youths on such an important matter for their lives and our society.”

But the Nationalist Party reacted saying that the Opposition wants to “play around with the electoral law” so that the referendum writ is not published immediately as and when it is presented to the electoral commissioner.

“It’s the Opposition’s incompetence that is denying these youths their votes,” the PN said in a statement.

“It was Joseph Muscat’s motion that was approved on 16 March that established that the President’s writ would be signed within 15 days of the motion’s approval, that is not later than 31 March.

“So it is Muscat who is responsible for this defect in his motion. The PN denies the allegation it denies 2,800 youths their votes.”

The PN said electoral law is clear on the fact that when the President signs a writ this gets published immediately by the Electoral Commission, and cannot be delayed for three weeks as claimed by Labour.

“Not only has Labour proposed a misleading referendum question and denied the vote to these new voters, but it shows that it is ready to manipulate the country’s electoral system… it would have been a manouevre that creates a dangerous precedent.”

“We’ll have an anomalous situation where the new electoral register will be published in April, but the referendum will only have voters registered in the previous electoral roll. 2,800 voters will lose their rights. It’s an anti-democratic decision by Lawrence Gonzi’s party.”


Alternattiva Demokratika secretary-general Ralph Cassar said Malta does not have a voting system for Maltese living in foreign countries, and called for an efficient voter registration system rather than a system controlled by PN and PL which is issued twice a year.

"In other countries, eligible voters can register their voting document even on election day. Today, with information technology and with the fact that every Maltese citizen has an identity number this process would be much easier. However, neither PN nor PL were ever interested in strengthening participative democracy in Malta, and only spoke up when the issue was advantageous to them.

"The Maltese youth have to fight against this tribal system. Moreover, the Electoral Commission chosen by PN and PL is allowing only PN and PL observing the election process.”
 

The Electoral Commission is set up by the Constitution and members are appointed by the President acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. The Commission is an autonomous body and not subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.

The present members of the Commission are Saviour Gauci, chairman; Dr Joseph Buttigieg, Mario Callus, Salvu Fenech, Vanni Ganado, Salvu Sant, Tony Sultana, Dr Ray Zammit, Dr Joe Zammit Maempel.

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tghid nitolbu ghal siegha zejda ta voti waqt ir referendum? tiftakru s siegha zejda fl 2008? ghandek bzonn permess mghaggel ta xi garaxx? jew trid tigi minn barra biex tivvota?
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@Briffy You are parroting you party's (gonziPN) lie. Stop making a fool of yourself.
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I thought that "Flimkien Kollox Possibli" even a defective motion could be made right, but as always gonziPN being the party of liars it is, " Kollox Possibli" was another damned lie.
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Micheal Bonanno
@Antoine Vella. I'm sorry you're wrong! When the president receives the writ he has to sign it. But the PM could have withhold till a later date. Which of course he didn't.
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Salgister you're very wrong. The President had no choice but to sign the Writ by 31 March because that is what the motion presented by Joseph Muscat says. Look it up.
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Micheal Bonanno
@cikkujien. Ir-writ il-Gvern ghaggielha. Kellu cans sa l-14 t'April biex jiffirmaha l-President. U ghala tal-Kummissjoni Elettorali l-ewwel qablu u mbaghad irtiraw? Tghid ghax Gonzi gibdilhom gibda widnejhom? Ir-writ mhux l-oppozizzjoni tipproponieh izda l-Gvern!
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@marquette might be you're right. But does your comment counter any of the arguments I put up? in fact, no. Then the cuc seems to be you...
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Priscilla Darmenia
When the GonziPN suited them they even changed the law so that the BWSC tender would be admitted in the middle of the evaluating process and become “legal” when in the first instance it was thrown out. So many motions pass in parliament that would approve a change in procedure for particular cases, could not parliament also pass the LP motion to issue the president’s writ 15 days later so that the new electoral register would be published. After all 1st April is only hours away not months or years.
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cikkuujien if you think there is a lot of ignorant commentators down below, your comments does not enrich us one bit.Maybe you are one of those Maltese cuc?
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L-ammont ta' injuranza u eghluq li taqra f'dal-kummenti impressjonanti... apparti mill-kwistjoni tad-divorzju, jekk JM kiteb li r-writ irid ikun ippublikat sal- 31 ta' Marzu (probabbli biex 'kumbinazzjoni' tahbat ma jum il-helsien) ma nafx kif f'daqqa wahda deherlu li jridha sat-tmintax.... jew jekk riedha hekk missu hasibha qabel...
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every one have a TV or PC , read the news , see how other countries fights for their rights. even teenagers groups alltogether and go in the streets protesting for their own rights. this is all for the people's own needs. Or instead stay home , do nothing just read the news , and talk only with your friends, but WE are doing nothing to fight against all of this. I think it's the majority of the maltese culture to just Bla bla bla and just swear, but do nothing on thier own initative, and i see no leader fighter, theer was one who before who was a real fighter, I doubt theer wil eb another one like him, who fought against the Church, at least he had the guts and was never afraid of their threats , and he WON!
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Your Vote is your right as a maltese citizen. That is your right, always use it as your weapon , to kick asses . I personally will vote YES to Divorce, cause I am always against the Church. I have allready deciced to stop voting PN. when i just noticed, ..... that the PN and curch were still hand in hand, and Malta is not a real secular state with that Disgusting marriage concordat with the vatican. They are so much protected the Priests, they can almost tekll to back off the AG, PC etc.. they are almost immune unlike all citizens.. So Yes My tool is to kick off the PN gov. I been in PN since 1987 voting, Now I say Enough . The maltese have to get this in mind, Till Malta will not be a real secular state Don't Expect equal rights. that is impossible I agree that politics sucks and are filthy, and it's the people who needs to fight for his right, not waiitng for soemone to lead him. That Politician who will fight all this , I doubt if he is still on politics, Yet? maybe? Time will tell all. Use your votes to kick asses from Parlament . RESIST OR SERVE! simple as that
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In theory, the Electoral Commission can wait for 99 years or more before publishing the Writ because the law does not expressly state that it should be published immediately.
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@ Ganni Borg....You are right, the law does not spell out any deadline for the publishing of the writ in the government gazette. It appears therefore that it is up to the Electoral Commissioners to decide when to publish the writ.
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YOU DON'T GET IT EMPLOYEE, THE ODDS ARE ALREADY STACKED AGAINST US. I AM TIRED OF BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE
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@Joe MC quite frankly I don't see what you want to achieve by not voting. If this was a general election, I would understand and respect your decision if you are desillusioned by both parties, but this issue cuts across party lines. I also agree that this should never have been decided by a referendum but by parliament but the least I can do is vote for a yes. The no vote already has the advantage of an organized network like the church; they will get the votr of thousands of people who will never be affected by divorce like priests, friars, nuns, religious fundamentalists and elderly people who will easily be manipulated by the fear of hell and fire. Let's get Malta a further step away from the middle ages and grant this basic human right to whoever needs it.
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JOE MC, do you think your vote will be missed. The Whole affair is already signed, sealed and delivered. Go and wash your hands, it does not matter we have many a Pontius Pilate on this rock of ours.
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I AGREE JAMES, BUT THEY WILL NOT MAKE A FOOL OF ME OR MY FAMILY I WILL NOT FALL INTO THEIR USUAL TRAP AND BOTHER VOTING I HAVE HAD IT WITH THIS COUNTRY. THEY ARE ALL PRE HISTORIC
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chris caruana turner
Oh, so who is actually making a mockery of this very sensitive divorce issue and who is also trying to politicise it further? The PN, seeing that they have lost their grip on this issue want to try to gain this at least. However in so doing they are actually confirming how anti-democratic they really are, which is a far cry from what they always say about their party. Bleh!!!
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@Briffy: As Far a I can see, the General Elections Act of 1991 (Chapter 354 of the laws of Malta) does not specify that the Writ has to be published immediately it is signed by the President, You can check here: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8824&l=1
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Dawk l-istess zaghzagh li qed jahdmu/jistudjaw barra u li fl-elezzjoni li ghaddiet ingabu Malta (kontra l-ligi elettorali) biex jaghtu palata lill-PN, qed jistennew b'ansjeta' kbira biex jergghu jingabu bl-irhis ghall-weekend tat-28 ta' Mejju. Imma din id-darba se jkunu r-ragun li r-referendum ixaqleb favur id-divorzju. Dak li tiehu bil-haxix u makakkerija sur Prim Ministru.
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It's amazing how Joseph Muscat can come out with such declarations. He jolly well knows, or shoulkd know as a leader of the opposition, that the writ has to be published as soon as it is signed by the President. JM himself insisted in the House that the writ should be signed within 15 days that is by the 31 March. He also knows, or should know that the Electoral Register is updated on 1 April and 1 October. He also knows or should know that only persons that feature in the Electoral Register are allowed to vote. The line has to be drawn somewhere and in this particular case people who can vote are those featuring in the 1 October Electoral Register. There is nothing new; the procedure has been in place for decades. That's the law and all electoral commissioners have to abide by it, otherwise they will be brought to court.Incredible; JM never ceases to amaze us.
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Dear PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA your antics are costing you less and less and less votes for the coming election...keep playing God and we will be writing your obituaries. You are trying to force a NO VOTE on the popluation. That will NOT happen. Because of your antiquated policies the liberals who were used voting PN, this time will VOTE PL!!! Take that in your stomach!!! JPO...wake up pls...you and Jesmond are the only hope for this fragmenting party of self proclaimed Pharoahs!
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Prosit Dr Muscat talli qeghdin Attenti ghal dawn il mossi u it tattici koroh tal PN.
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Il-Partit 'liberali' ta Malta! These are that things that counts; PN against one man one vote, against votes for women, against votes for 18 year old, against the decriminilisation of gays, against the welfare state, against a second chance for those who cannot afford a divorce from Europe, or who do not have friends at the Curia to get 3 annulmnets at a fast track,against freedom of expression, against the seperation of the Church and the State. PN is Party of yesterday"
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Paul Sammut
Gonzi's credibility is being eroded by the hour. Soon enough what remains of Gonzi will be Gon.
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corrupted goverment, this is totally anti democratic. and JPO should do something over it, he must show the goverment. that he has power in the parlament. so dear jpo do something we want democracy in this retarded eu country
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Dawn kienu jivuttaw IVA. Ghalekk il-PN (Vatican) qattghuhom.
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ovvja , halli jkun hemm anqas zaghzagh mentalita moderna. aktar jabillu -PN li f'dan ir-referendum ikollu aktar nies b'mohh maghluq ;-) difficli biex jaghddi ghal IVA dan ir-referendum. Nahseb iridu jaghddu 10 snin ohra jien, dejjem kif qed nahseb jien- skond kemm ser ikun il-percentagg ta nies li ser imorru jivvutaw. dik tiswa hafna ghal dawn it-tmienja jew ghaxar snin li gejjin -
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Luke Camilleri
When will be be having the state of the ardt ID cards promised at varius stages in time by various Gonzipn state of the art Gonzipn Ministers? --- Ghal Parati tajjeb il-Gonz , zigarelli , weghdiet mhux imwettqa u U-turns....