Women’s rights group calls for greater gender parity in politics

The Malta Women’s Lobby congratulated Roberta Metsola on her impressive achievement in the recent European Parliament elections, where she emerged as the sole female MEP elected from Malta. However, the group also expressed concern over women’s lack of fair representation in the elections.

The group noted that Metsola’s success is commendable, as it highlights people’s trust in her ability to represent Malta in the European Parliament.

However, her election as the only woman among the six Maltese MEPs underscores a regression from past elections when Malta had an equal representation of three women and three men in the European Parliament.

In their press release on Tuesday, the Malta Women’s Lobby urged all political parties to ensure their candidate lists are truly representative of society by encouraging more women to participate in politics actively.

These lists must include an equal number of women and men, giving the electorate a genuine choice representative of the demographic. Having predominantly male candidates on the ballot sheet is unacceptable, and political parties must take decisive action to rectify this imbalance.

The group noted that ensuring gender parity is not just a matter of fairness but also enhances the quality of democratic processes. The organisation also believes that society benefits from diverse perspectives and that women must have an equal opportunity to contribute to the political landscape.

The Malta Women’s Lobby criticised the national broadcaster, TVM, for its male-dominated guest list during the election broadcast. This perpetuated the false narrative that women are not considered capable or interested in participating in political discussions.

“This is wholly undemocratic and we demand better treatment from those who should be setting the example,” the statement said.