Momentum promises stronger local councils, parliamentary majority for top posts

A Momentum government would find ways of making local councils more autonomous, and ensure that key public appointments require a two-thirds majority in parliament.

The political party on Wednesday published another five new electoral proposals for a "fairer, greener and more transparent Malta".

“These are some of the proposals reflecting Momentum’s commitment to various issues relating to our society, such as good governance, justice, a better democracy and family needs, offering practical solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing Malta today," electoral candidate and Momentum's general secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin said. 

The party's proposals include:

• Constitutional protection against discrimination based on age and disability: enshrine in the Constitution the principle of non-discrimination based on age and disability. This includes addressing unfair practices such as unequal pension treatment and forced retirement, and ensuring that everyone, regardless of age or ability, is treated with dignity and equality.
• Stronger and more autonomous local councils: diversifying local council income streams to reduce over-reliance on central government. New funding sources would include Airbnb licence payments, a share of traffic fines for road maintenance, and allocations based on tourism impact, traffic flow, and environmental considerations.
• Create a working environment that enables both career and family life: women should not have to choose between building a career and raising a family. We will promote workplace policies, including flexible working, parental leave, and access to childcare, that make it genuinely possible to pursue both.
• Merit-based high-level public appointments: key public appointments should require a two-thirds majority in parliament to ensure broad consensus and reduce political patronage. For roles not subject to parliamentary approval, all interviews should be recorded and documented, with clear competence criteria and scoring systems published, so the public can verify that appointments are made on merit.
• A truly independent media regulator: create an independent media regulatory authority free from government and partisan influence. The Public Broadcasting Authority must no longer include representatives of political parties, ensuring that the media serves the public interest with fairness, balance, and integrity.