Parliament of Malta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parliament of MaltaIl-Parlament ta' Malta |
|
|---|---|
| 14th Legislature | |
 |
|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | House of Representatives |
| History | |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Leadership | |
|
Myriam Spiteri Debono, Labour
Since 4 April 2024 |
|
|
Speaker
|
Angelo Farrugia, Labour
Since 6 April 2013 |
|
Leader of the Opposition
|
Bernard Grech, Nationalist
Since 7 October 2020 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 79 |
 |
|
|
Political groups
|
Government (43)
Opposition (35)
Independent
|
| Elections | |
| Single transferable vote (not counting members co-opted to fulfill gender quota) | |
|
Last election
|
26 March 2022 |
|
Next election
|
2027 |
| Meeting place | |
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|
| Parliament House, Valletta | |
| Website | |
| http://www.parlament.mt/ | |
The Parliament of Malta (which in Maltese is Il-Parlament ta' Malta) is the main law-making group in Malta. It is located in the city of Valletta. This parliament is special because it is unicameral. This means it has only one main chamber, called the House of Representatives. The President of Malta is also part of the Parliament.
In Malta, the rules say that all important government leaders, like the Prime Minister and other ministers, must be members of the House of Representatives. This helps them work closely together. For a short time, between 1921 and 1933, the Parliament of Malta had two chambers. It had a Senate and a Legislative Assembly. But now, it only has one.
Contents
Understanding Malta's House of Representatives
The House of Representatives (or Kamra tad-Deputati in Maltese) is the single law-making body of Malta. It is a very important part of the Parliament. A special person called the Speaker of the House leads the meetings. The Speaker makes sure everyone follows the rules.
The President of Malta is chosen by the House of Representatives. They serve for five years. This shows how important the House is in Malta's government.
Who Makes Up the House?
The House of Representatives has an odd number of members. These members are chosen for a five-year period. They are elected from 13 different areas across Malta, called electoral districts. Each district usually elects five members.
Malta uses a special way of voting called the single transferable vote. Sometimes, extra members are added to make sure the results are fair. Since 2022, a new rule helps more women become members. If women make up less than 40% of the elected members, up to 12 extra seats are given to female candidates. After the 2022 election, this rule helped bring the total number of members to 79.
How Members Are Elected
Members of Parliament (MPs) are chosen from 13 areas, each with five seats. They use the single transferable vote system. This system is a bit like a ranking game. Voters rank candidates in order of preference. If a candidate gets enough votes right away, they win a seat. Their extra votes then go to the voter's next choice.
If no one wins easily, candidates with the fewest votes are removed. Their votes are then given to the voters' next preferred choices. This continues until all five seats in that area are filled. This system helps make sure votes are used fairly.
Sometimes, if one party wins the most votes but not enough seats to lead, they get extra seats. This helps them form a government. Malta usually has two main political parties: the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party. These two parties are usually the ones that form the government.
In 2018, a big change happened: people could vote starting at age 16. Before that, you had to be 18. In 2021, another important rule was added. It helps more women get into Parliament. If fewer than 40% of the elected members are women, up to 12 extra seats are given to women who ran for election. This rule has helped bring more women into the Parliament.
Where the Parliament Meets
For many years, from 1921 to 2015, the House of Representatives met in the beautiful Grandmaster's Palace. This historic building is in Valletta.
However, since May 4, 2015, the House of Representatives has a new home. They now meet in the modern Parliament House. This new building is also in Valletta, close to the city's main gate.
Working in Committees
To help Parliament work better, there are special groups called committees. These groups make sure that the work of the Parliament is efficient. They also help Parliament check on what the government is doing.
There are several important Standing Committees:
- The Committee on House Business helps plan the work of the House.
- The Committee on Public Accounts looks at how the government spends money.
- The Committee on Foreign and European Affairs deals with Malta's relationships with other countries.
- The Committee on Social Affairs focuses on issues that affect people's daily lives.
- The Committee on Family Affairs discusses topics related to families.
- The Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs looks at money matters and the economy.
Other committees handle specific areas, like the environment or public appointments. There are also other types of committees that work on special tasks.
Members of Parliament
You can find lists of the people who have served in the Parliament of Malta:
- List of members of the parliament of Malta, 2008–13
- List of members of the parliament of Malta, 2013–17
- List of members of the parliament of Malta, 2017–22
- List of members of the parliament of Malta, 2022–27
See also
In Spanish: Cámara de Representantes de Malta para niños
