Why Parliament is taking its shortest summer break since 1992
Government whip points to a packed legislative agenda, says long recesses send wrong message
Parliament’s summer recess this year will be the shortest since at least 1992.
On Monday, parliament adjourned for the summer and will reconvene on September 15 – a break of 42 days.
That’s significantly shorter than the average summer recess of 72 days, based on data available since 1992 – the earliest year for which plenary session records are available on parliament’s website.
Asked why parliament is taking a much shorter break than usual, government whip Naomi Cachia pointed to a packed legislative agenda.
41 bills passed since October
“Since October, we have passed 41 bills through parliament apart from the budget debates, motions and other discussions without votes that are occasionally on our agenda. That said, we still have significant legislative work ahead of us,” she said.
She also suggested that long recesses send the wrong message.
“Parliament taking a three-month recess every summer sends the wrong message – the prime minister has also spoken about this in recent weeks,” Cachia added.
Prime Minister Robert Abela said in late July that he wanted to end the long-standing practice of extended summer breaks.
“If you ask me about the way forward for the country’s highest institution, this practice of going on break for three whole months should be revised,” Abela said.
The length and timing of parliament’s summer break is ultimately the prime minister’s decision.
Until this summer, Abela had stuck to the norm of adjourning in mid-July and reconvening in early October. For instance, last year’s break ran from July 15 to October 7 – a total of 84 days, one of the longest since 1992.
Excluding this year, summer recesses under Abela’s leadership have averaged 77.8 days – longer than most previous years.