(MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has once again voiced her concerns over Malta’s gender corrective mechanism, arguing that the system, introduced to boost female representation in politics, has failed to achieve its intended purpose and may now be doing more harm than good.
The mechanism, launched in 2021, was designed to address the persistent underrepresentation of women in Maltese politics by supplementing the number of elected female MPs if a gender imbalance is detected. However, in the 2022 general election, only four women were directly elected to Parliament—raising questions about the system’s effectiveness.
Speaking candidly, Metsola described the mechanism as having evolved from a tool of empowerment into a “smokescreen” that distorts democratic representation. “Rather than creating a fairer system, it manipulates statistics and places female candidates at a disadvantage,” she said.
The mechanism has faced criticism from several women in politics, who have called it “insulting” and argued it does not address the structural barriers preventing women from entering politics in the first place.
Metsola called for a broader and more mature conversation about the root causes of gender disparity and democratic dysfunction in Malta. She highlighted that Malta remains the only EU Member State without a full-time Parliament, a factor she believes contributes significantly to the country’s political stagnation.
“If we want to make a real difference,” Metsola said, “it’s time for a mature discussion on why Malta is still the only EU Member State without a full-time parliament; on allowing our MPs to have access to researchers; on fixing political party financing models in a way that stops parties competing with charities to raise funds.”
Beyond structural reforms, Metsola also emphasised the need to overhaul Malta’s political culture. She urged a shift away from tribalism, point-scoring, and hyper-partisanship, which she believes have long plagued the country’s political discourse.
“Changing the tone of politics is just as important as changing the systems,” she added. “Malta deserves a political environment where ideas matter more than allegiances, and where reform is driven by a genuine commitment to progress.”
Metsola’s remarks have reignited debate about how best to achieve gender equality and democratic maturity in Malta, with many now calling for a re-evaluation of the corrective mechanism and a serious look at broader institutional reform.
-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).
