The corrective mechanism : what’s next?

Abstract

Electoral systems and electoral mechanisms have always been an important issue in Maltese society, so much so that they are also enshrined in our Constitution. Electoral results have been held to scrutiny by the Constitutional Court which have led to many controversies. The Maltese electoral system has been in function as from 1921 and has been amended though the years. The most notable amendment was enacted in 1986, when the “Corrective Mechanism” was enshrined in article 52 of the Constitution of Malta. The mechanism has been amended twice, in 1996 and 2007 respectively. Another introduction in the Maltese electoral system was the gender quota mechanism which was first used in the 2022 elections. In the introduction to this dissertation, a historical background of the electoral system is provided. This is done to help the reader understand better the system and the aims of the current mechanisms. This is followed by a detailed explanation of how the “corrective mechanism” works and the times it was used in our electoral history. After analysing the main functions of this mechanism, the author provides a description of the possible limitations. Furthermore, the data gathered from the interviews that were held during the dissertation is compared to the previous chapters and a way forward is established. At that stage, the author proposes a draft for a new mechanism to help safeguard the Constitution and the electoral process.