RATING
AND DEBATE
Decided
On
5 June 2004, the current Prime Minister, Dr. Lawrence Gonzi, confirmed
the opinion of his predecessor that there will be no need for a
referendum and the ratification procedure seemed to be a formality.
The traditionally eurosceptic Labour party had "accepted the
reality of Malta's EU membership" and was to vote in favour
of the Constitution, with some reservations. On 15 February 2005
the Parliament started to debate the Constitution. According to
a survey cunducted in spring 2005, Maltese support for the EU Constitution
fell to 56 per cent, down from 70 per cent in the spring of 2003.
The survey
results suggested that the relatively low level of support in Malta
was unlikely to be linked directly to the contents of the Constitution
although some concern had been expressed about the extent to which
the EU Constitution could supersede the Maltese constitution. In
an interview with The Sunday Times, President Eddie Fenech Adami
said, he believed the Constitution should be amended to enable holders
of his office to send back legislation to Parliament for reconsideration,
if they disagreed with it. He believed that because of disagreement
on EU membership before the referendum, "overemphasis was made
on the points in favour and there was overemphasis on the points
against", so both sides were feeling disappointed with the
way things had turned out. (timesofmalta.com)
Finally in May 2005 the traditionally eurosceptic Malta Labour Party,
which has 48% of the seats in parliament, had come out in favour
of the Constitution, also stating that no constitutional amendments
would be required. After this statement all three political parties
in the country were in favour of ratification.
On
06.07.2005 Malta’s parliament unanimously ratified the Constitution.
“This new chapter offers many opportunities for the Maltese
people,” Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said after the vote,
supported by all MPs. “Through
its vote, parliament is closing a long, controversial, divisive,
chapter in its history and opening another where there is national
support on European policy,” he said.
More
background information...
Eurobarometer
(2006), The Future of Europe - Results for Malta,
Special Eurobarometer 251, Fieldwork: 23/02 – 15/03 2006.
(PDF)
Eurobarometer
report, (February 2004): 61%
rather agree, 15% rather disagree*
*Are
you rather agree or rather disagree with the statement: The European
Union must adopt a Constitution.
Eurobarometer
report, (January 2005): 31% favourable, 13% opposed*
*Based
on what you know, would you say that you are in favour of or opposed
to the draft European Constitution?
Eurobarometer
report, (July 2005): 50% favourable, 20% opposed*
*Based
on the question, are you for or against a constitution for the European
Union?
Latest
News
06.07.2005
Malta ratifies EU constitution. EUbusiness.com
22.06.2005
Malta to continue with ratification of EU constitution. EUbusiness.com
17.02.2005
Malta to vote on EU Constitution in July. EUobserver.com
18.10.2003
Maltas Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami declared that Malta will
not hold a referendum on the EU Constitution. EUobserver.com |
