The Momentum political party on Friday said Gozo should elect five MPs while the rest of the four regions in Malta elect 10 MPs each, stating it is ready to propose the framework to the president. 

The party's statement comes after the Malta Chamber of Commerce recommended that the number of MPs should be cut from the current 79 to 45, but they should work full-time and receive a higher salary.

The Chamber also called for the number of districts to be slashed from 13 to five, with Gozo dropped as a separate district, arguing Gozo should be included with Mellieħa and Mġarr.

In a statement, the party’s chairperson, Arnold Cassola praised the Chamber’s proposals as a “good basis” to work on. 

“Malta is desperately in need of a third voice in parliament,” he said.

“Knowing the greed of PLPN, we are convinced they will resist change to cling to their dualistic power. We are ready to take them on.  Malta is ripe for change".

While the Chamber proposed five electoral districts electing nine MPs each, Momentum proposed Gozo remains a region on its own and elects five MPs, while the other four regions in Malta elect 10 MPs each. 

"This means that Gozo will be slightly overrepresented proportionately, but the Gozitans deserve this because of their double insularity status," he said.

Under the system proposed by Momentum, the district threshold to get elected would be lowered from 16.6 percent to nine percent. 

“Though still high by European standards and comparable only to Turkey, we at Momentum are ready to go for it and to propose it to Her Excellency, the President, at our forthcoming meeting,” he said.