An analysis of the performance of small political parties in Ireland and Malta in national and European Parliament elections

Abstract

Ireland and Malta share several historic, religious and political similarities. Indeed, the two countries are unique in their use of STV for their Parliaments. Despite the many similarities however, the fortunes of small political parties within the two countries have been very different. In Ireland small parties have constantly and increasingly played an important role in the Irish Political landscape. Meanwhile in Malta no party aside from the PL and PN have ever managed to gain representation in Parliament since Independence. This thesis aims to explain why. Three perspectives are adopted to achieve this, which are in turn translated into 3 research questions. The first research question looks into external political realities that inhibit or encourage the fortunes of small parties. The second research question investigates the organisational and ideological realities of small parties in the two countries. The third and final research question discusses the fortunes of small parties in SOEs. By adopting such a broad perspective to investigate the fortunes of small parties, this work comes out with several possible causes to the differing fortunes of small parties in Ireland and Malta. Causes, which in the future can be investigated in a more detailed manner.