Europe > Southern Europe > Malta > Malta Government Profile 2012

Malta: Malta Government Profile 2012

2012/03/19

Malta Government Profile 2012

Malta is a republic under the 1964 Constitution as amended in 1974, a president is the head of state and for a term of five years. Members of the House are elected by universal suffrage for a term of five years. The President appoints the Prime Minister (head of government) and his cabinet. The highest courts are the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court. Malta is an autonomous member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The president is chosen by the House of Representatives, the country's legislature.

Country name

Conventional long form:

Republic of Malta

Conventional short form:

Malta

Local long form:

Repubblika ta' Malta

Local short form:

Malta

Government type:

republic

Capital

Name:

Valletta

Geographic coordinates:

35 53 N, 14 30 E

Time difference:

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time:

:+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders and have some responsibility for local road and other public maintenance

Independence:

21 September 1964 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)

Constitution:

1964; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Chief of state:

President George ABELA (since 4 April 2009)

head of government:

Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004)

Cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Elections:

president elected by a resolution of the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Election results:

George ABELA elected president by the House of Representatives

Note:

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - the Parliament elected in 2008 is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning the plurality of votes does not win a majority of seats, the constitution provides that a sufficient number of seats will be added to Parliament to ensure that the party that won the elections has a majority in Parliament) elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - PN 49.3%, PL 48.8%, other 1.9%; seats by party - PN 35, PL 34

Judicial branch:

Constitutional Court; Court of First Instance; Court of Appeal note: magistrates and judges for the courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders :

Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Michael BRIGUGLIO]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta Labor Party or PL [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra or ALDM (for divorce, abortion, gay marriage, the rights existent in other EU member states); Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (for traditional values, anti-immigration); Alternattiva Demokratika (pro-environment); Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate in democratic government); Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar (pro-environment); Ghazda tal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights) other: environmentalists

International organization participation:

Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

consulate(s) general:

<br />

Diplomatic representation from the US

Embassy:

Mailing address:

Flag description:

two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red

Malta News

More >

Trending Articles

by countries
by topic