Domestic and European response to irregular migration : Malta’s moral dilemma 2002-2016

Abstract

This paper focusses on Malta’s political response to the phenomenon of irregular migration framed within an international context characterised by exponentially rising numbers of displaced people due to wars, famine and economic instability. Given its pivotal geopolitical position in the central Mediterranean region, Malta provides a rich narrative on the different strategies adopted by politicians and policy-makers in trying to solve, or at least reduce, damage resulting from the migratory flows that are now prevalent all year round. This study examines how the main political parties managed to neutralise the potential popularity of radical, small parties by endorsing some populist choices, including long-term detention policies and very slow migrants’ integration schemes. These actions caused political and legal complications with the United Nations Refugee Agency, the European Commission and the European Court of Human Rights. Nonetheless, they are concurrently instrumental in keeping the Maltese voters loyal to mainstream political parties without causing a shift in support in favour of radical parties.