Election Desk: The Money Trail in Maltese Politics

Imagine, if you will, the bustling streets of Republic Street, Valletta, on election day. The air is thick with anticipation, the chatter of voters, and the unmistakable aroma of campaign posters. But there’s another scent wafting through the air, one that’s less tangible but no less potent – the whiff of cash. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on political financing in Malta, a topic that’s as complex as it is crucial.

Following the Money

In Malta, political parties are required to disclose their funding sources and expenditure to the Office of the Commissioner for Revenue. But here’s the catch – these declarations are made annually, long after the elections are over. So, while we know who’s funding our parties, we don’t know when or how that money is spent during campaigns. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

Take the 2017 election, for instance. The Nationalist Party (PN) declared it spent around €1.8 million, while the Labour Party (PL) spent about €2.2 million. But these figures are declared in 2018, a full year after the election. What’s more, these are just the declared expenses. There’s no way of knowing if there were off-the-books expenses or if the declared figures are accurate.

Transparency: A Work in Progress

Malta has made strides in political financing transparency. The Political Parties Act, enacted in 2015, introduced stricter rules and heavier fines for non-compliance. Yet, it’s a work in progress. The law doesn’t require real-time disclosure, and it doesn’t cover election campaigns separately from regular party activities. there’s no public registry of donors, making it difficult to track who’s funding our political parties.

Dr.ustin Schembri, a political scientist at the University of Malta, puts it this way: “Transparency in political financing is a key aspect of democratic accountability. But in Malta, we’re still playing catch-up. We need real-time disclosure, a public registry of donors, and stricter enforcement of the rules.”

What’s Next?

The upcoming election, scheduled for March 2023, is a chance to push for more transparency. Civil society groups like Repubblika and Din l-Art Ħelwa are calling for real-time disclosure of campaign financing. They want to see a public registry of donors and stricter enforcement of the rules. But they need your support.

“This isn’t just about politics,” says Dr.ustin Schembri. “It’s about ensuring that our democracy is fair, transparent, and accountable. And that starts with knowing who’s funding our political parties and how that money is spent.”

So, as you stand in line at the polling station next March, remember the money trail. Remember that your vote is your voice, and that voice deserves to be heard loud and clear. Because in a democracy, the people should always be the ones calling the shots, not the money.