Women’s lobby says quotas manipulation is slap in face to fair representation

Malta Women's Lobby voices concerns over manoeuvre that saw PN candidate Janice Chetcuti giving up on casual election and relying on gender corrective mechanism to be elected

PN candidate Janice Chetcuti (right) said she will not contest a casual election, opening the route for John Baptist Camilleri (left) because she can rest on gender quotas to be co-opted to the House
PN candidate Janice Chetcuti (right) said she will not contest a casual election, opening the route for John Baptist Camilleri (left) because she can rest on gender quotas to be co-opted to the House

The Malta Women's Lobby voiced its concerns over the "manipulation" of the gender corrective mechanism, saying it was a slap in the face to those who had fair representation at heart.

"The MWL is pleased to note that, in spite of pressure on some women candidates not to contest the by-election, women have still participated fully in this process. The attempt to manipulate the system is a slap in the face to those who have fair representation at heart," the lobby said in a statement on Saturday.

This week PN candidate Janice Chetcuti said she was choosing the gender mechanism route to get into parliament, rather than casual election to give other 3rd District candidates a chance.

Malta’s parliament will grow by an additional 12 seats at the end of the electoral process when the gender corrective mechanism kicks in. The mechanism intended to boost the number of women MPs, is being used for the first time after this year's casual elections are concluded.

The mechanism will give six extra seats to women from each party, since the share of women MPs is less than 40%.

"Having another candidate represent a particular constituency is nothing but a veiled excuse, and it is evident party matters are being prioritised over democratic representation," the lobby argued.

It said that one does not need to be a member of parliament to work for the members of any community, especially if they are already active within the structure of a political party. "Additionally, by foregoing the opportunity to contest a by-election, to then make use of the gender mechanism, means that other women that are in line to benefit from this same mechanism, would be excluded from the process altogether."

It said that those women who opted to not contest the casual elections were denying an opportunity to the women candidates who would have possibly agreed to contest the election, with a strong chance to make it to parliament.

"The Malta Women’s Lobby reiterates its commitment towards seeing that politicians will no longer be allowed to ignore half of the population. The perception of women as second class citizens needs to stop now."

"We demand that we are duly represented in all structures of decision making. We will not be silenced," the lobby concluded.

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