The Nationalist political movement and legislation under the 1921 Self-Government Constitution

Abstract

This thesis will seek to give an overview of the constitutional and legislative endeavours of the Nationalist movement which led to the 1921 Self- Government Constitution and which happened during its being in force. As a background a brief overview of the preceding constitutions and their historicopolitical background will be given, before delving into the highly interesting and controversial Assemblea Nazionale. Emphasis will be laid on the role of Enrico Mizzi and Mgr. Ignazio Panzavecchia. The Assemblea Nazionale is essential to understand Maltese constitutional demands, the divergence in views amongst the various Nationalist exponents of the Assemblea Nazionale and to appraise British will to accept Maltese demands. It shall be highlighted how this was in fact not the case, unless Maltese demands went parallel to British will. This divergence between British and Maltese will would return to haunt the Nationalists especially when the 1921 Self-Government Constitution actually came to be suspended in 1933 and finally revoked in 1936. One will notice the importance of the language question in relation to the Nationalist movement and our constitutional struggle towards independence. Had it not been for the Nationalists pre-WWII adamant defence of Malta's Italian heritage, language and culture then no movement for greater constitutional autonomy and eventually independence would ever have risen. Appendix B will provide a general overview of the language question. An overview of the major legislation passed by the Nationalists under mentioned constitutions will be given, but its scope the overview will be brief and not as analytical as I would have wanted it to be. Reference will also be made to the 1932 Nationalist request for Dominion Status, which was far from accepted by the British. The conclusion will provide a summary of the most important aspects of that Nationalist struggle which was at the centre of this thesis.