Maltese European Union membership referendum, 2003

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A referendum on European Union membership was held in Malta on 8 March 2003. [1] A narrow majority voted in favour of joining but the opposition Labour Party rejected the results. The victory of the Nationalist Party in the 2003 general election confirmed the result of the referendum and Malta joined the EU on 1 May 2004.

European Union Economic and political union of European states

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. It has an area of 4,475,757 km2 (1,728,099 sq mi) and an estimated population of about 513 million. The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where members have agreed to act as one. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market, enact legislation in justice and home affairs and maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. For travel within the Schengen Area, passport controls have been abolished. A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency.

Malta island republic in Europe

Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 km (50 mi) south of Italy, 284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia, and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. With a population of about 475,000 over an area of 316 km2 (122 sq mi), Malta is the world's tenth smallest and fifth most densely populated country. Its capital is Valletta, which is the smallest national capital in the European Union by area at 0.8 km.2 The official languages are Maltese and English, with Maltese officially recognised as the national language and the only Semitic language in the European Union.

Labour Party (Malta) political party in Malta

The Labour Party, formerly known as the Malta Labour Party (MLP), is a social-democratic political party in Malta. Along with the Nationalist Party (PN), the Labour Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta. Since the March 2013 general election, the party has been the governing party in the Maltese House of Representatives. The Labour Party is a member of the Party of European Socialists, and was a member of the Socialist International until December 2014.

Contents

The Maltese referendum saw the highest turnout, and the lowest support for joining, of any of the nine countries that held referendums on joining the EU in 2003. [2] [3]

Background

After the Nationalist Party won the 1998 election, the new government reactivated Malta's membership application, which had been suspended by the previous Labour government. [4] Negotiations to join were finished at the Copenhagen summit in December 2002 and Malta was invited to join the EU in 2004. [5]

Copenhagen Capital of Denmark

Copenhagen is the capital and most populous city of Denmark. As of July 2018, the city has a population of 777,218. It forms the core of the wider urban area of Copenhagen and the Copenhagen metropolitan area. Copenhagen is situated on the eastern coast of the island of Zealand; another small portion of the city is located on Amager, and is separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the strait of Øresund. The Øresund Bridge connects the two cities by rail and road.

European Council institution of the European Union

The European Council is a collective body that defines the European Union's overall political direction and priorities. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also takes part in its meetings. Established as an informal summit in 1975, the European Council was formalised as an institution in 2009 upon the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. Its current president is Donald Tusk, former Prime Minister of Poland.

The government of Malta announced in January 2003 that a non binding referendum on membership would be held on 8 March 2003 at the same time as local elections. [6]

In many parts of the world, local elections take place to select office-holders in local government, such as mayors and councillors. Elections to positions within a city or town are often known as "municipal elections". Their form and conduct vary widely across jurisdictions.

Campaign

In the run up to the referendum polls showed voters were evenly divided over EU membership. [7] The Nationalist government argued that Malta would receive EU funds for the roads and tourist industry. They said that Malta needed the EU in order to cope with globalisation and accused the opposition of scaremongering. [8]

Tourism travel for recreational or leisure purposes

Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. Tourism may be international, or within the traveller's country. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only", as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and not less than 24 hours, business and other purposes".

The Labour opposition feared that EU membership would cost jobs due to the lowering of trade barriers and jeopardise Malta's independence. They preferred that Malta should form a partnership with the EU rather than seeking membership and called on Maltese votes to either spoil their ballot papers, abstain or vote no. One billboard for the no campaign showed the Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami wearing a Diaper made of the flag of Europe. [8] [9]

Trade barrier Restrictions limiting international trade

Trade barriers are government-induced restrictions on international trade.

Prime Minister of Malta position

The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government, which is the highest official of Malta.

Eddie Fenech Adami Maltese politician

Edoardo "Eddie" Fenech Adami, is a Maltese politician and Nationalist politician who served as Prime Minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996, and again from 1998 until 2004. Subsequently, he was the seventh President of Malta from 2004 to 2009. He led his party to win five general elections, in 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998 and 2003. Staunchly pro-European, Fenech Adami is the longest serving Maltese prime minister since Malta's independence, and was fundamental for Malta's accession to the European Union.

The largest trade union in Malta, the General Workers' Union opposed membership. [10]

Referendum question

The question voted in on in the referendum was confirmed on 3 January 2003. [10] It was "Do you agree that Malta should become a member of the European Union in the enlargement that is to take place on 1 May 2004?" [3]

Results

ChoiceVotes%
For143,09453.6
Against123,62846.4
Invalid/blank votes3,911–
Total270,633100
Registered voters/turnout297,88190.9
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Aftermath

Supporters of the Nationalist party celebrated the result of the referendum but the Labour leader Alfred Sant did not concede defeat and said the issue would be settled at the upcoming general election. [11] He argued that only 48% of registered voters had voted yes and that therefore a majority had opposed membership by voting no, abstaining or spoiling their ballot. The day after the referendum the Prime Minister called the election for 12 April as expected, though it was not required until January 2004. [10] [12]

The main issue in the 2003 election was EU membership and the Nationalist party's victory enabled Malta to join on 1 May 2004. [13]

Further reading

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Politics of Malta

The politics of Malta takes place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Malta is the constitutional head of state. Executive Authority is vested in the President of Malta with the general direction and control of the Government of Malta remaining with the Prime Minister of Malta who is the head of government and the cabinet. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament of Malta which consists of the President of Malta and the unicameral House of Representatives of Malta with the Speaker presiding officer of the legislative body. Judicial power remains with the Chief Justice and the Judiciary of Malta. Since Independence, the party electoral system has been dominated by the Christian democratic Nationalist Party and the social democratic Labour Party.

Nationalist Party (Malta) political party in Malta

The Nationalist Party is a Christian-democratic, conservative political party in Malta. It is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the governing Labour Party. The Nationalist Party is currently in opposition to the Labour Party.

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References

  1. ↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1302 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. ↑ Briguglio, Michael. "Post-Script: The Malta Labour Party after 1998" (PDF). Michael Briguglio. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2011.
  3. 1 2 Stajano, Attilio (2006). "Chapter 3.5 An Overview of the Ten Accession Countries of the 2004 Enlargement". Research, Quality, Competitiveness: European Union Technology Policy for the Information Society (second ed.). New York: Springer Verlag. pp. 60–85, page 78. ISBN   978-0-387-28741-6.
  4. ↑ "Appendix D - Chronology of EU enlargement" (PDF). Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2004. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  5. ↑ "The outcome of the Copenhagen Summit". Efficacité et Transparence des Acteurs Européens. 15 January 2003. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012.
  6. ↑ "Malta first in EU referendum race". BBC Online . 2003-01-29. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  7. ↑ "Malta voting on EU membership". CNN . 8 March 2003. Archived from the original on 5 February 2008.
  8. 1 2 Owen, Richard (10 March 2003). "Malta to join EU after knife-edge referendum". The Times . London. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  9. ↑ "Malta awaits EU membership verdict". CNN . 9 March 2003. Archived from the original on 1 October 2003.
  10. 1 2 3 "Referendum briefing No 2: The Maltese EU accession referendum". Opposing Europe Research Network. 8 March 2003. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Malta votes 'yes' to EU membership". CNN . 9 March 2003. Archived from the original on 13 March 2003.
  12. ↑ "Malta PM hopes to ride EU success". CNN . 2003-03-10. Archived from the original on 26 December 2004.
  13. ↑ "Election Results Move Malta Closer to European Union". The New York Times . 2003-04-14. Retrieved 2008-02-27.

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