Parliament’s boycott : 1981 to 1983

Abstract

This long–essay will analyze the aftermath of the controversial 1981 general election result: a result which was described by politicians as ‘perverse’ and one which led to political turmoil in the ensuing months. Negotiations to solve the political crises failed, the opposition took the controversial decision not to take its seats in Parliament. The question is whether it was the right decision that the Nationalist members of Parliament elected in 1981 election decided to completely boycott and abandon their parliamentary seats and not to return to parliament after election and accept the result. While the result and its aftermath reflected the constitutional arrangements, there was considerable gerrymandering prior to the election. This, in turn distorted the electoral system. The result sent back the Nationalist party to the opposition, although they still managed to gain 50.9% of the popular vote but three seats less than the Malta Labour Party, the result read 114, 168 votes to PN and 109, 990 for the MLP. While the votes were being counted there were conflicting reports as to the true results of the elections. Basing their calculations on the stacks of voting papers in the pigeon-holes of various candidates, which indicated the votes they had obtained, the Nationalist Party had conformation of their forecast of the majority of votes, and they were right. On the other hand the Labour Party candidates were relying more on what was happening in each of the various divisions, knowing full well that an overall majority of votes could mean nothing. But what mattered were the majorities obtained in each district and the Labour by the early morning of the 15th December of 1981 were claiming victory of 34 seats to 31 for the Nationalist Party.