A new “centrist party” led by Arnold Cassola is willing to collaborate with other parties with "similar values".

Momentum, which was officially launched on Friday, will focus on good governance, social justice and environmental issues among other things, party general secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin said. 

Camilleri Gambin, who is a tech entrepreneur with a background in software engineering, did not rule out the possibility of Momentum forming coalitions with other parties in the future. 

“There is still some time left until an election, and it could be the case that there is collaboration and coalitions by then,” he said. 

However, Momentum will focus on building its own party for the time being, with Camilleri Gambin emphasising that 100,000 voters chose to stay home in last year's MEP elections.  

“We are doing our utmost to change that. That means creating the structures and organisation needed. If that eventually means collaborating with others, why not? But at this point, it is not something we are thinking about,” he said.  

Camilleri Gambin is one of seven committee members leading the new party.

Arnold Cassola is the party's most recognisable face. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Carmel Asciak, Sumaya Ben Saad, Katya Compagno, Natasha Azzopardi, Matthew Agius, and Arnold Cassola make up the rest of the committee.  

Cassola, who serves as Momentum chair and is the most familiar face in the party, took a back seat on Friday and left it to other committee members to introduce the party and themselves.  

Free vote on abortion

Momentum is the second party that Cassola is leading, having previously chaired Alternattiva Demokratika for several years before eventually quitting over differences in opinion with his successor Carmel Cacopardo.

Chief among those disagreements was Cassola's staunch opposition to abortion. But it appears Momentum will not be taking a strong position on that topic.   

“On ethical issues, we believe in giving a free vote,” Camilleri Gambin said. Asked to specify, Camilleri Gambin pointed to abortion as a case in point.  

“There are some of us who are in favour, and others who are against,” he said.

Cassola, an academic and activist who obtained more votes in last year's MEP elections than all other smaller parties and independent candidates combined, will be contesting the next general election on the Momentum ticket.

The party is still unsure as to whether it will be fielding candidates in each of Malta's 13 electoral districts, committee member Matthew Agius acknowledged.

The party's executive committee members. Photo: Momentum

“We are in the process of speaking to people who are interested in putting out their names as candidates. Obviously, Arnold Cassola will be one of them,” he said.   

“It could also be the case that we will choose to focus only on a few districts rather than all of them," Agius said.

Anyone interested in joining Momentum can find out more on the party's website.  

Momentum is poised to be soon joined by other new parties espousing similar political ideology.  

Times of Malta exclusively revealed last month that former Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer is working with others to set up Partit Maltin Progressivi (PMP). And resident group Il-Kollettiv has said it also aspires to set up its own political party.