Suffrage Universel
le droit de vote des étrangers
Le droit de vote des étrangers à Malte
Malte a un système de réciprocité limité aux pays membres du Conseil de l'Europe où les Maltais ont le droit de vote aux élections locales, mais seuls les Britanniques sont concernés jusqu'à présent. La législation devra être adaptée avec l'entrée prochaine dans l'Union Européenne, en ce compris pour les élections européennes, peut-être déjà d'application à l'élection du Parlement européen de 2004.
Conditions for contesting local elections
Council members are elected for a term of three years. Citizens of Council of Europe member states who have resided in Malta for at least six months are allowed to contest elections provided the country of which they are nationals allows Maltese citizens, on a reciprocal basis, to contest Local Council elections in that country. (Currently this facility is extended to citizens of the U.K. and Northern Ireland). The minimum age limit is 18 years.
9th schedule of the 1993 Local Councils Act (modelled on the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which the Government, as the promoter of the initiative, had signed and ratified). List of Member countries of the Council of Europe whose nationals are entitled to vote in Local Council Elections
http://www.mic.org.mt/PR's/new%20press%20release%20docs/Free%20Movement%20of%20Persons.htm
FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS
Press Release: 24.11.1999
Screening Session No. 24
Chapter No. 2
BRUSSELS, 24.11.1999: The EU’s policy on free movement of persons was discussed in detail over the past two days during the twenty-fourth session of the screening process between Malta and the EU. The main issues tackled regarded rules relating to free movement of workers, the coordination of social security schemes, the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and citizens’ rights.
(...)
Voting rights
On the question of voting rights, the Maltese delegation explained that the only changes needed in this respect would be the drafting of separate laws, covering European Parliament and local elections, where EU citizens residing in Malta would have the right to vote. On this point, the Commission also mentioned the existence of a derogation from the directive in question in favour of small states which limits the votes and the right to stand as a candidate at both European and local level, to citizens who have been in the host member state for a number of years. On the other hand, EU citizens residing in Malta would not have the right to vote in national general elections.
54. (1) No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives --
(a) if he is a citizen of a country other than Malta having become such a citizen voluntarily or is under a declaration of allegiance to such a country; (...)
57. Subject to the provisions of section 58 of this Constitution, a person shall be qualified to be registered as a voter for the election of members of the House of Representatives if, and shall not be qualified to be so registered unless
(a) he is a citizen of Malta;
(b) he has attained the age of eighteen years; and
(c) he is resident in Malta and has during the eighteen months immediately preceding his registration been a resident for a continuous period of six months or for periods amounting in the aggregate to six months:
Provided that this paragraph shall not apply to a person who is ordinarily resident in Malta but has not been resident in Malta as required by this paragraph by reason of service abroad in the public service, including service in the offices referred to in subsection (3) of section 124 of this Constitution, or by reason of service abroad in, or as a member of, a disciplined force as defined in section 47 of this Constitution.