Mayors at 16 and gender quotas for local elections bag mixed reactions

Malta experimented with a new gender parity mechanism for parliament in the last general election and could very well repeat the process in next year’s local elections.

The proposal was included in government’s strategic vision for local government that was published earlier this month and will require legal changes.

The proposal was included in the Labour Party’s election manifesto and government wants to introduce the mechanism in time for the 2024 local elections.

The Nationalist Party welcomes the gender parity mechanism to promote female involvement in local level politics, spokesperson Darren Carabott said, albeit with a few reservations.

He insisted that the PN remains dedicated to supporting any measure that would boost political participation, but Carabott noted that introducing a mechanism at local level could impact third parties and independent candidates.

“It would decrease any independent candidate’s influence in local governance since any additional electoral seats will be given equally between the parties,” Carabott surmised.

The government’s document did not give any detail on how the mechanism will apply at a local level and a request for comment to Local Councils Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli, who is spearheading the reform, was met by a dry reply.

“The improvements you are referring to are proposed in the 2022 Electoral Manifesto (items numbered 970 and 971). The newly launched National Strategic Vision for Local Government offers a seven-year work plan for the implementation of the proposals,” a spokesperson for Zerafa Civelli said.

The intricacies of how the mechanism will work at a local level will likely have to be ironed out following discussions with stakeholders and the Opposition.

But Carabott told MaltaToday that despite the PN’s request for consultation on all local council reforms, the party has not yet received replies to its call.

‘Unintended consequences’ and ‘simply a top-up’

ADPD’s reaction to the proposed mechanism is no different to the party’s reaction to the general election mechanism, which it had described as “a historic perversion”.

“Last year’s general election has proven that the mechanism is nothing but a top-up and helped only in bloating the number of parliamentary seats,” ADPD told MaltaToday.

ADPD is challenging in court the gender mechanism introduced for the general election on the basis that it makes a distinction between female candidates on the PL and PN ballots, and those representing other parties.

The general election mechanism kicks in only if two parties are elected to parliament and allows for an additional 12 women to be elected (six for each side) after vote counting is over.

ADPD insisted that promoting the participation of women in politics is more laborious than such a mechanism, as this requires culture-shifting methods, such as changes in parliament hours and a childcare centre to accommodate female politicians, who traditionally take up the role of child carers.

The Green Party insisted that the mechanism limits the electorate’s voting power, as some candidates are awarded seats without reaching the necessary vote quotas. Evidence of this can be found in the 2022 general election in the case of Melissa Bagley and Sandra Gauci – both ADPD candidates – who won more votes than women who got in by the quota mechanism, such as PL candidate Davina Sammut Hili.

These concerns were also reflected by the Kunsill Nazzjonali Taż-Żgħażagħ (KNZ).

“The implementation of gender mechanism quotas could have unintended consequences for third-party candidates, and this may be exacerbated further when applied in local council elections, making it even more difficult for third-party candidates and independents to get elected,” the KNZ said.

Regarding the efficiency of such a mechanism in promoting female participation in politics, KNZ said that while quotas may increase the representation of women in the short term, they fail to address the underlying issues of gender inequality.

“In some cases, they may even reinforce gender stereotypes,” the KNZ noted. “Such prioritization could create a perception that women are being given preferential treatment, which may undermine their credibility.”

But the proposal was welcomed wholeheartedly by the Malta Women’s Lobby. “It will help address the persistent imbalance in the local council elections,” the group said.

“The mechanism could be a useful tool to ensure that women get elected at a local level where they can gain experience and visibility, which act as a springboard for the national elections,” the lobby group said, adding it is still too early to see the full impact of the gender mechanism on political participation.

Concerns on 16-year-old mayors

Another key proposal of the local government reform is to allow 16-year-olds to become mayors and deputy mayors.

Again, this was included in the PL’s election manifesto. Today, 16-year-olds can vote and run for elections, but the law prohibits a 16-year-old councillor from becoming mayor.

The PN, ADPD and KNZ were not against the proposal, but they believe it requires serious consideration given the legal changes required to empower people at such a young age to function as adults.

KNZ said that while it saw no reason to oppose the idea given the candidate in question has the skills and qualities necessary for such a role, it noted that public office requires serious dedication.

“Any 16-year-old candidate who is considering running for mayor must fully understand the gravity of the position and the expectations that come with it,” the KNZ spokesperson said.

Voicing its support for more youth participation in politics, the PN favours the idea, which is included in its own local government policy document titled Gvern Lokali ta’ Vera.

Carabott said: “Given the fact that a 16-year-old is legally allowed to contest the election, and given the people’s vote and choice, that 16-year-old should be allowed to serve as mayor.”

But Carabott said that when it comes to public accountability, it must be ensured that no legal anomaly exists at law that might impair or hinder the operation of the local government.

At law, 16-year-olds cannot sign contracts, which would be problematic for any local council. There are also limits to their criminal responsibility.

This concern was highlighted by ADPD, which added that while youth participation in politics is important, “16-year-olds should focus more on getting an education, travel and get the life experience needed not only to become a mayor but a good citizen.”

ADPD said that if such a proposal is implemented, young public officials should still be in a position where they are held accountable for their actions and face the music should this become necessary.

Meanwhile, asked for its reactions to the two issues, the Labour Party replied with the same statement as that received from the government.