MALTESE CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL

HISTORY

The British came to Maltas aid to help them throw the conquering French out of their
land. They were invited by the Maltese.
Britain was not sure of the usefulness of Malta in a strategic manner as a port in the
Mediterranean, like France was.
When the French were driven out of Malta, the British found themselves as
sovereigns of the island.
They were going to give the island back to the Knights of St. John, something that the
Maltese didnt want.
Politics dictated what would happen, not peoples opinions.
1802: The Treat of Amiens brings peace between France and Britain. It clearly stated
that Malta should be returned to the Order and placed under the protection of Naples.
The Maltese drew up the Decleration of Human Rights which said that they regarded
their soverign to be the King of Great Britain, and that Britain had no right to cede it
to anyone else.
It also said that they would never return to the order or form part of the Kingdom of
the Two Sicilies. If Britain didnt want them, then they would decide their own fate.
There were violations of the Treaty and Britain reversed her decision to leave Malta.
War was declared.
Britain realized that, with Malta, they could control the Southern part of Italy and the
Levant, monitor French ambitions in the Mediterranean, and keep an eye on the
situation in Greece and the Balkans. They gained full control of Malta after winning
the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Britains naval superiority would become the keystone of her conquering strategy,
and Malta was going to prove useful in that.
First, they tried to maintain the status quo in Malta, ruling without any drastic
changes, leaving the rights/privileges/customs/religions alone.
The fall of the Treaty of Amiens made the British start to take more control of Maltese
affairs. Strategic/imperial considerations came first.
Alexander Ball was appointed Civil Commissioner of Malta. He ruled for eight years
and reorganized Malta, promoting her as a centre for commerce and trade, reformed
the laws and judicial courts, cultivated good relationships with the Church and
pursued British interests without much rivalry.
Malta become an official British protectorate at the Congress of Vienna.
The mini-boom in the first decade of the nineteenth century came to an end with the
Treaty Of Paris. Loss of jobs prevailed.
The Maltese wanted a Consiglio Popolare, and to have a larger say in the affairs of
state. They were after legislative power.
1811, the Marquis Niccolo Testaferrata, a Maltese noble, petitioned the Crown for the
revival of the Consiglio due to him, the Consgilio was set up to monitor colonial
policy in Malta. It combined the duties of the Civil Commissioner and the military
commander (now to perform as Governor) who had it in his power to employ a
consultative council. The Maltese had no power, still, as strategic and imperial
interests could not be placed at risk.

The value which Malta meant to the British was spelled out in a letter by the
Secretary of State to then-governor Sir Thomas Maitland in 1813; As a military
outpost, as a naval arsenal, as a secure place of depot for the British merchants...
Maitland arrived in 1813 at the onset of the plague and set up drastic measures to
combat it. 4500 lives were lost regardless.
He reformed Malta again; he abolished the grain monopoly, centralised public
expenditure, reformed the law course, reformed land ownership, introduced English
to Malta.
Ruled very despotically earned him the nickname of King Tom but kept the needs
of the people in mind.
The efforts of Mitrovich and Sciberras resuted in a Council of Government being set
up after the Reform Bill of 1832 was passed when a wave of liberalism attacked
Europe.
First step on the road to independence.
Frequent obstructions: British reluctance to change their policy/attitude, British
attempts to dilute powers of the Government and place the interests of Britain first,
the over-zealous and intolerant attitude of the clergy, the combative/wayward whims
of the spirited Maltese leaders and their non-cooperation, and the clergys sensitivity
to any measure that might weaken the influence of the control.
Many skirmishes with the church.
Queen Adelaide laid the foundation stone of St Pauls Anglican Cathedral after
realizing that the Protestants had no place of worship in Malta.
Sir Patrick Stuart, a Governer in 1846, caused riots when he banned the celebration
of Carnival on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.

1813 BATHURST CONSTITUTION

The authority of the Governor was limited only by the King.

Maltese had no say.
Consultative council nobody every used.

1835 COUNCIL

OF

GOVERNMENT

Set up by the 1835 Letters Patent.

Consisted of the Governor, the Bishop of Malta (who never took his seat), three
official members and three nominated members, two of which were Maltese.
Consultative council; legislative and executive power rested under the Governor.
The Governor had to take into account other opinions regarding important matters.
Maltese representatives were brought into the inner counsels of state.
Had the power of veto.

1849 COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT

Legislative body Governor could only legislate within the advice/consent of the
Council.
The Council had the power/authority to make, ordain and establish laws provided
they didnt go against British interests.
Power of veto still remained.
Maltese representatives in the Council were chosen by a democratic election.
Eighteen member council, five members to be Maltese officials and four English
officials, with Seven Maltese electives (six from Malta, one from Gozo). Maltese
nationals had a predominance of voting power.

Cardwell principle.
Opinion of the elected members was use for local/domestic interests against the
majority of the elected members except under circumstances where the public
interests/credit were at risk.
The duties of the Governor/Council were outlined by the Royal Instructions. They
reproduced the way the 1835 council was set up.

1887 COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT

An experiment in dual control combining popular control of the Legislature with

Imperial management of the Administration.
Maintained the control of local/domestic interests underneath the elected members
provided that they didnt contrast British interests.
Fourteen of twenty seats allotted to elected Maltese officials.
Power of veto.
Money matters.
The scheme failed.
Six official members chosen by the government.
Four elected Maltese officials to represent Clergy, Nobles, Landowners and University
students/professionals. The majority were chosen from Malta.
Was meant to last for three years, with the Governor acting as president.

1903 CHAMBERLAIN CONSTITUTION

The Governor acted as President, a Vice President, Secretary of the Government,

seventeen members (nine of which were official and the rest chosen by the populace
from eight elected districts, one of which was Gozo).
Turned back the clock to 1849.
The elected bench was the minority eight members only.
More severely exercised; troubled political atmosphere.

1921 AMERY-MILNER CONSTITUTION

The riots of Sette Giugno led, in part, to this constitution. Being formed.
Two governments Maltese and Imperial.
Maltese Government took care of the local issues.
Imperial Government took care of Reserved Matters.
The Maltese Government was made up of a legislative assembly of 32 members and
the Senate was made up of seventeen members.
Elections were held ever three years.
Only males over 21 with proper education and property were allowed to vote.
In case of disagreement between the assembles, the Governor could call for a joint
session, dissolve one/both of the assemblies and call for new elections.
All laws passed had to be proved by the Governor and then by the Secretary of State
(for the Crown)
To amend the constitution both assembles had to meet in a joint session and obtain a
two-thirds majority of all members.
Suspended in 1933, revoked in 1936.
Four political parties UPN (Unione Politika Maltese made up of clergy), PDN (Partita
Democratica Nazzjonalista led by Enrico Mizzi),CP (Constitutional Party, geared
towards British interests) LP (Labour Party, led by William Savona).

SETTE GIUGNO AFFAIR

Malta had been under the British for more than a century. It had become the British
fortress in the Mediterranean.
The British kept breaking their promises, especially in the political field.
Various problems increased the misery of the lower classes; the infant mortality rate,
poor housing conditions, unemployment, the increase of the cost of living, the bread
tax.
The British refused to let Malta control their financial matters and came under a lot of
criticism.
Manwel Dimech and his Xirka ta L-Imdawlin had become vociferous in their criticism.
Manwel Dimech was later exiled.
Enrico Mizzi was also arrested and imprisoned at Verdala.
On May 10th 1919, University students organized a protest march in Valletta against
the requirements to get into University, which had changed. It turned into a political
protest. Francesco Azzopardi, who was in the Council of Government, was abused,
but nobody was charged.
Dr. Filippo Sceberras made an appeal for unity among the Maltese and called to set
up the National Assembly so they could present a definitive list of demands to the
British.
As the Assembly met, thousands of Maltese citizens marched in support of it in
Valletta. The first meeting was held on the 25th of February.
The meetings were held in the La Giovane Maltese.
On 7th June 1919, an important meeting was to be held to approve a resolution which
had been unanimously popular, except with the anglophile Dr. Augusto Bartolo. As a
sign of respect and public approval, all shops and businesses closed that day.
The crowd approached Valletta and saw that one shop A La Ville de Londre was
open and flying the Union Jack, defying the Assembly. The shop was attacked and the
flag torn down.
Stones were thrown at the Magistrate Palace, the British Officers Headquarters the
Union Club (the crowd got pelted with pennies) and the Biblioteca (which also had a
Union Jack it lost).
Anti British riots raged throughout Valletta after the people noticed that soldiers had
been posted at Castille Place and that the police had closed the Palace gates.
The University and Lyceum were attacked.
The printing press of the Daily Malta Chronicle (a newspaper by Dr. Augusto Bartolo
heavily in favour of the British) was destroyed.
The police did nothing to help.
The houses of Cassar Torregiani (a wheat importer) and Francesco Azzopardi had their
furniture destroyed.
The Acting Governor, Hunter Blair, decided to bring in the troops. They shot on the
crowd and killed a youth, Manwel Attard, and a man carrying a Maltese banner, Guze
Bajada. The killings incited the crowd for a fiercer attack on the Chronicle printing
press, which made new troops, led by Lieutenant Sheilds, fire and kill another man,
Lorenzo Dyer.
The Assembly concluded its meeting and some of the members went out to calm the
crowd while others appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to draw the troops back to
the barracks. This was done immediately.
The next day, as crowds went to lay wreaths at where the men had fallen, the
members of the Union Club abused the Maltese by throwing pennies. Fighting broke
out in the streets,

The house of Col. Francia, another wheat importer, was attacked. The Maltese
soldiers were ordered to go and protect the house but not one of them moved against
the mob.
British marines were called in to calm the situation and in the ensuing skirmish as
they forced the mob away from the Francia house, Carmelo Abela was bayoneted.
In Hamrun and Marsa, flour mills were attacked.
Two other youths were mortally wounded and fifty rioters were arrested, with some
sentenced to hard labour of ten years.
Mgr. Portelli, the Auxiliary bishop, calmed the situation down.
On 9th June 1919, Lord Plumer arrived as the new Governor and appointed a
Commission of Enquiry to assess the situation; it tried to blame Dr. Mizzi for the riot.
Dr. Mizzi had organized a collection for the wounded/the families of those killed. He
also paid for a monument commemorating the victims, which was made by Boris
Edwards.
Lord Plumer listened to the demands made by the Maltese representatives and the
British government finally agreed to grant a responsible government to Malta.

THE LANGUAGE QUESTION

December 1919: Malta is granted full self-government.

Two governments an Imperial government and a government for local affairs.
The Language Question dominated the internal political scene.
The majority of the people spoke Maltese.
The Middle + Upper classes used Italian for business and professional purposes, and
also for every day speech.
The Order had conducted the administration of the islands in Italian and the British
continued to use this language for official purposes.
Thomas Maitland demanded that English had to be used for administrative purposes,
but this was not followed through.
Julyan Report:
o 1878-79.
o Civic Establishment Report.
o Those that wanted to work with the Civil Establishment needed English.
o Promoting use of English.
Keenan Report
o 1878-79.
o Education Report.
o Should take away pari passu system.
o English should be given priority.
Many Maltese cultivated a knowledge of the English language if it was necessary for
business, but Italian remained the language of education and of the law courts.
Maltese was for servants and lower-class citizens it was the language of the
kitchen.
More and Maltese became depended upon Britain/the British services, and it would
be to their advantage to learn English.
The first political parties formed because of the Language Question.
Most professionals got their degrees at Italian universities, rendering them illiterate
when everything was Anglicized.
Italian was part of their culture they feared that they would lose their culture if they
didnt speak/have Italian taught in schools.

Introduction of the pari-passu system the teaching of the English language on a

basis equal to the teaching of Italian. The pro-Italians were against this.
The language question developed into an issue which dominated local politics for
decades.
Dates of visit of the Royal Commissions in the late eighteen-seventies.
Many bitter debates develop in the Council of Government.
Patently ridiculous to keep Italian and the supremacy of Italian in a country were the
vast majority of the population did not use the language.
The 1921 declared that Italian and English were the official languages. In 1934,
Maltese was added to that list.
The language question also represented a cultural clash as Maltese middle and upper
classes tried to retain certain cultural traits which they felt the English influence was
eroding.
The language question was exploited by Italian fascists during the nineteen thirties to
add to their claims that Malta was a terra irridente of Italy.
Sympathy for the Italians died out after the bombings in the Second World War.
An Italian Fascist club set up at the Italian Consulate Valletta in 1923 but it attracted
few members.
Strickland tried to sully the UPM and PDN with the brush of irredentist claims and got
his excuse when Prime Minister Howard, on a state visit to Italy, praised the host city
exaggeratedly and promoted the Maltese to come and practice Italian, their madre
lingua. Strickland interpreted this as being disloyal to Malta and ridiculed the Prime
Minister into resigning.
When Strickland came to power, he took reprisals against the members of the former
power/the Italian language:
o Subjected former Prime Minister Sir Ugo Mifsud and Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici to
police searches of their homes.
o The commemorative address on the anniversary of the victory over the Turks
in 1565 was heard for the first time in Maltese.
o Italian lettering was removed from post-office notices, budget estimates,
government departmental notices, lotto tickets.
o Italian captions on paintings were replaced with English ones.
o Professor Augustus Bartolo changed his name from the Italian version
Augusto to the English Augustus. He also ordered all references saying that
Italy is the mother land of Malta eradicated from school books.
o English became more important.
o By 1928, dockyard workers needed a reasonable knowledge of English to work
there.
o The urban working classes had no choice but to learn English, and pressure
was put on teachers to give greater emphasis to English.
o Prospective head teachers were required to spend two years studying in
England without any complementary period of training in Italy.
o Dignitaries giving speeches in Italian at public functions were heckled by
Labour Party supports.
o The annual concert for the Kings birthday celebrations had singers requested
to perform the French version of Italian arias.
o Notarial acts no longer had to be composed exclusively in English, November
1927.
o Steps were taken to remove Italian from public life official speeches, speech
signs.
o Teaching of Italian was discouraged in state schools.

THE THREE SCENARIOS OF THE LANGUAGE QUESTION

SCENARIO 1: 1880-1887.

Dispute over the preference of Italian and English between the middle classes.
Sir Patrick Keenan starts by publishing a report on changes in the educational
system.
o Better for the Maltese to learn English rather than Italian.
The governer appoints an anglophile as Director of Education Sigismondo Savona
who was leader of the Reform party.
The educated classes in favour of Italian set up the Anti-Reform party with Fortunato
Mizzi as their leader.
The Language Question forms the first political parties.
Pari-passu system implemented.
SCENARIO 2: 1898-1903.

Gerald Strickland decides to push forward Keenans language reforms.

Free-choice system implemented parents have the right to choose what language
their child will learn. Most pick English.
Strickland declares that Italian is a dying language and that it served the interests of
just a few elites.
The Governor phases out Italian from the law courts and the university, causing an
outcry by the pro-Italian Nationalists.
The British Government postpones the reforms due to said outcry and Strickland is
removed from Malta.
1887 Constitution suspended.
SCENARIO 3: 1927-40.

1920:
1927:
o
o

Strickland returns and sets up the Pro-English Constitutional Party.

Strickland becomes Prime Minister.
Reintroduces free choice and other reforms that had been stopped in 1902.
Starts removing Italian from most Government documents leading to
another crisis with the Nationalist opposition.
o Also had a quarrel with the Catholic Church at that time which made him lose
the 1932 election.
The Governor suspends the constitution when the Nationalist Party tries to reverse
the decisions Strickland had made and took control of the administration himself.
Italian loses ground when relations between Italys Mussolini and Britain moved
closer to war.
The British used this excuse and lessened Italian use even further.

CHURCH-STATE

RELATIONS

Before the British took over, Malta had been run almost completely by the Church.
o The Knights of St. John had organized Malta into one big convent.
o The Knights were often referred to as The Religion.
o The spiritual head of the order was the Pop.
The British were not even Catholic - the stage was set for interesting diplomacy.
By 1813, Malta was regarded as one of the most important and strategic colonies.
The British didnt try to turn the Maltese towards Protestantism.

The Maltese Church kept back from open hostilities with the British government
because it was well aware that the Maltese people depended on the British for their
jobs and livelihood.
The British were very clever:
o Well aware that choice of bishop would influence Maltese opinion they
therefore lobbied at the Vatican for Malta to become a separate diocese from
Palermo.
o It came about in 1831, giving the British a bigger say in the choice of Maltese
Archbishop.
o As a result, the King of Naples had to forefeit any pretensions to Malta.
At the Congress of Vienna (1815) relationships between the Vatican and Britain
improved.
The British found that one way to bypass the local Church was to talk directly to the
Vatican.
In 1820, Governor Maitland travelled to Rome and drafted the Mortmain law, which
decreed that the Maltese church had to sell any newly acquired property within a
year or use it for philanthropic purposes. The Maltese church owned about one third
of all Maltese land.
The Right of Sanctuary right to give sanctuary/protection to criminals on church
grounds and the right of the Church to have its own laws were abolished in 1828
with this same method.
The British had to remain mindful of the liberties enjoyed by the Church:
o The church opposed the freedom of the press and the law granting freedom
could not be passed until 1839 when another law the law of libel was
passed with it.
o Found ways to accommodate the Church rather than alienate the Church.
o Wanted a Protestant worship, but it was granted in 1844, only after Queen
Adelaide provided the funds as they couldnt take St. Johns, or the Jesuits
Church.
Two main politico-religious criseses.
o Fr. Guido Micallef was ordered by his superior to leave Malta. The Government
tried to keep Fr. Micallef from leaving Malta, which resulted in a bitter struggle
between the Elected Representatives led by Strickland and the Catholic
Church. It only got worse when the Church voted against Stricklands budget
in the senate.
o 1950s: arose due to serious differences between MLP leader Mintoff and
Archbishop Michael Gonzi. The Church opposed Mintoffs proposal of
integration with the UK because the interests of the Catholic religion would
not be safeguarded.
1958: Labour government resigns; 1947 constitution suspended. Gonzi openly
criticizes Mintoffs integration proposals and denounces riots/violence by Labour Party
supporters in turn, LP criticizes leadership of the Church.
Diocesana Jiunta, formed out of Catholic organizations, was set up and became the
Churchs secular arm in the struggle against Mintoff.
31 July 1960: The MLP announced that it has joined AAPSO which the Catholic
Church viewed as a communist front and Archbishop Gonzi regarded the MLPs
membership as proof that his fears about Mintoff representing a communist thread
for Malta were well founded. The Pastoral Letter for Lent condemned the MLP for
joining with AAPSO.
Sanctions against the MLP followed interdiction of the MLP officials & newspapers.
The Church decreed that all those voting for the MLP would be committing mortal sin,
resulting in their losing the 1962/1966 elections.

There was reconciliation between the MLP and the Church in the late 1960s and
secularization began in 1971.

ANGLO-MALTESE RELATIONS
INTRODUCTION
1939
Party

Leaders

Votes

Percentage

Constitutional
Party
Nationalist Party

G. Strickland

19,156

54.6

Chamber of
Deputies
6

U.
Mifsud/E.
Mizzi
P. Boffa
None

11,618

33.1

3,100
1,183

8.8
3.4

1
None

35,057

100

Labour Party
Independent
Candidates
Total

1945
Party

Leaders

Votes

Percentage

Labour
Jones P
Independent
Candidates
Total

P. Boffa
H. Jones
None

19,071
3,786
2, 172

76.2
15.2
8.6

25,029

100

Chamber
Deputies
9
1
None

of

The Constitutional Party and Nationalist Party did not contest the 1945
elections because they were demanding the grant of self-government, which
had been suspended in 1936. Only 41.9% of the electorate voted in this
election.
From February to December 1944, a national congress made up of eminent
Maltese was convened in order to discuss a better constitution for Malta to be
submitted to the British government.
o 14 organizations were represented by 42 persons in this congress.
o After a year, little progress was registered.
o On its part, the British government sent Sir Harold MacMichael to Malta
to act as Constitutional Commissioner to study the suggestions brought
forward by the Congress.
1. Direct access of Maltese ministers to the British government.
2. Malta under the Dominions Office.
Dominion would mean semi independence for Malta.
3. Granting and withdrawal of constitution only by an act of
Parliament.
4. The status of Religion in the constitution.
o These suggestions were not granted.

What was granted was the following:

1. Universal suffrage.
2. The police force under the responsibility of the Maltese
government.
3. One single house of Parliament.
Meanwhile, a British economist, Sir Wilfred Woods, was sent to Malta to give
advice on direct taxation and social security.
A start was made on reconstruction and social housing start on town planning
proposals by a British firm of architects; Hubbard, Harrison and Smith.
In 1946, education for 6-14 year olds became compulsory, although there was a
lack of teachers and class rooms.
o 1947: school-leaving age extended to 16 years.
o Therefore, the half day system was introduced.
o Teacher training was introduced on a one year basis.
o Male teachers under the instruction of the Dellasale Brothers; female
teachers under the instruction of the Saint Dorothy Sisters.
o To counter the lack of space more schools were built, especially during
1946-1954.
o

THE CONSTITUTIONS GIVEN BY THE BRITISH FROM 1921-1964

Constitution: Amery-Milner Constitution of 1921.
Governor at the time: Viscount Plumer.
Secretary of State for the Colonies: Viscount Milner
One of the Maltese leaders at the time: Monsignor Ignatius Panzavecchia, Ugo Mifsud, Nerik
Mizzi, Gerald Strickland, William Savona.
Number of Members of Parliament: Senate 17, Chamber of Deputies 32.
Elections held: 1921, 1924, 1927, 1932.
At least one major feature connected to this Constitution: Self-government in local affairs.
One major reason why the British Government changed this constitution: Abolished between
193301936 because the British were suspicious that the Maltese were being governed under
a pro-fascist administration (the Nationalist government was in power at the time and it was
thought to have pro-fascist views).
Constitution: MacDonald Constitution of 1939.
Governor at the time: Sir Charles Bonham-Carter.
Secretary of State for the Colonies: Malcolm MacDonald.
One of the Maltese leaders at the time: Gerald Strickland, Nerik Mizzi, Sir Ugo Mifsud, Paul
Boffa.
Number of Members of Parliament: 10 official and 10 elected members.
Elections held: 1939, 1945 (Jones and LP only)
At least one major feature connected to this Constitution: Plural voting removed.
One major reason why the British Government changed this constitution: Due to the
pressures by the Maltese for another constitution it was a stop-gap constitution.
Constitution: MacMichael Constitution of 1947.
Governor at the time: Sir Francis Douglas.
Secretary of State for the Colonies: Arthur Creech Jones.
One of the Maltese leaders at the time: Nerik Mizzi, George Borg Olivier, Dom Mintoff, Sir
Paul Boffa, Mabel Strickland.
Number of Members of Parliament: 40 deputies.
Elections held: 1947, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1955.

At least one major feature connected to this Constitution: The Senate was abolished and the
right to vote was given to women.
One major reason why the British Government changed this constitution: The British
Government suspended the Constitution because of the political crises that followed Dom
Mintoffs resignation as Prime Minister and Borg Oliviers refusal to form a minority
government.
Constitution: Constitution of 1964.
Governor at the time: Sir Maurice Dorman.
Secretary of State for the Colonies: Sir Duncan Sandys.
One of the Maltese leaders at the time: George Borg Olivier, Dom Mintoff, Herbert Ganado,
Toni Pellegrini, Mabel Strickland.
Number of Members of Parliament: 55 deputies.
Elections held: 1966, 1971.
At least one major feature connected to this Constitution: Constitutional independence from
British rule.
One major reason why the British Government changed this constitution: Malta became a
republic.

1947

First labour government.

Stricklands Constitutional Party disbanded after his death in 1940.
Dr. Enrico Mizzi reorganizes Nationalist Party after coming back from Uganda.
4 May, 1946: Sir Harold MacMichael comes to Malta to draw up a new
constitution.
o Universal suffrage.
o Assembly increased from 32 to 40 members, and from 3 to 4 years.
o Senate abolished.
o English and Maltese language become the official languages of Malta.
o Number of ministers increased to eight.
Elections held on 25, 26 and 27 October, 1947.
o Five parties: Democratic Action Party ( Professor Joseph Hyzler), Labour Party
(Dr Paul Boffa), Nationalist Party (Enrico Mizzi), Jones Party, Gozo Party
(Francesco Masini).
Nationalist party still largely discredited due to the anti-Italian feeling.
Evacuation of many refugees from the Harbour districts to the rural areas =
spread of LP ideas to the countryside.
o Many villages had new LP committees.
Malta Labour Party wins 24 seats out of 40 in Parliament.
o Dom Mintoff elected on behalf of the Labour party.
o Agatha Barbara first female politician with a seat in parliament.
o Paul Boffa first socialist Prime Minister.
Head of the Constitutional/Labour coalition government of 1927-1932.
Great Britain gave Malta 30 million in grants for reconstruction:
o Had to be spent on rebuilding residences and industries.
o Technical education enhanced.
o St. Lukes hospital completed.
o Income tax introduced.
Need for data for social, economic and financial services a consensus was held in
1948 which showed a displacement of the population.

o Opposition accused the Government of being socialist and totalitarian.

Britain persuaded to give 300,000 in food subsidy in 1948-49 provided that the
Maltese government do the same.
1 May 1948: a May Day dinner was organized at St Pauls Bay by young
Labourists, who began singing the Socialist International Hymn in the presence
of Dom Mintoff.
o Archbishop immediately asked for an explanation.
o Mintoff: stopped the young socialists.
April 1949: Mintoff and Ellul Mencea submit a referendum on the granting of
direct Marshall Aid to Malta.
o 1500 workers were being laid off from the Dockyard.
o Mintoff and Boffa fly to London to organize food subsidies and
withdrawal of Dockyard redundancies.
Neither was granted, so Mintoff prepared an ultimatum letter for Marshall Aid
Malta would join the USA and withdraw from the Commonwealth.
o Signed by the Labour cabinet, but the threat of joining the USA was
struck off.
o Mintoff was in London Boffa was joining him when Mintoff told him not
to withdraw the ultimatum.
o Boffa withdrew the ultimatum on 15 August, 1949.
o In response, Mintoff resigned from minister, but not from MP.
9 October, 1949: Boffa resigns after getting a vote of no confidence.
16 October, 1949: Mintoff elected party leader.
Boffa founded the Malta Workers Party.
o Continued as prime minister up to 1950, when the budget could not be
implemented.
George Schuster, British economist:
o Britain had to help Malta by means of grants for rebuilding, industrialisation
and emigration Malta could not stand on its own.
o A grant of 1.5 million was suggested for five years, and a further 3
million, to be paid partly by Britain and partly by Malta for
industrialisation.

1950

Only Boffa still believed that the current state of affairs between Britain and
Malta could be improved.
Both NP and the MLP wanted a change in the dyarchical system of government.
Proposal for integration first drafted by Mintoff.
E. Mizzi formed a minority government with Boffa supporting common views.
Shusters advice on cost of living and food subsidies implemented.
Agreement for increased emigration to Australia was concluded.
December 1950: Mizzi dies and George Borg Olivier becomes Prime Minister
and PN leader.
15 January 1951: Boffa votes against the Government and it is defeated.

1951

5-7 May.

PN (Gorg Borg Olivier) form a coalition government with Boffas MWP.

o Borrowed money to subside the importation of wheat.
o Customs dues increased on luxury goods, while work conditions in the
private industry were improved by law.
Conference held in London reached a financial agreement.
o 475,000 to balance the budget of 1952-53.
o 25,000 for the construction of airport at Luqa.
o One million over five years for social projects, financial aid to expand
emigration.
1952-53 budget passed only with the Speakers casting vote.
Mabel Strickland forms the PCP after breaking away from the Constitutional
Party, which were leaning towards the opposition.
Dealing with the British government:
o PN wanted Dominion Status (self-government without reserved matters).
o Mintoff: Malta has to fight and make sacrifices to deal with Great Britain.
o Elizabeth IIs coronation Secretary of State for the Colonies assured the
Maltese government that the Maltese flag would be waved and the Prime
Minister would be treated as those on other colonies.
o Borg Olivier demanded Maltas transfer to the Commonwealth from the
Colonial Office.
Mintoff argued that Malta should be even allowed to secede
from the Commonwealth if Britain did not give aid and treat
Malta well.
Two young members of the PN government willing to vote against the
Government.
o Borg Olivier stated that the British government had allowed the US air
force to inhabit Malta without prior notice to the Maltese.
1953-54 budget: wage increases, some free hospitalization, allowances for
emigrants.
o Defeated because the MWP expected that the GWU should have been
consulted when increases to government employees were affected.
o Government resigned.

1953

12-14 December.
PN and MWP join together in another coalition government.
MLP would not join forces with any party.
Cabinet: 6 PN and 2 MWP ministers.
Great Britain offered the transfer of Maltas affairs from the Colonial Office to
the Home Office.
o Mintoff interpreted this as readiness by the British to consider the issue
of integration, but the Maltese had to decide using a referendum.
Appropriate bills would only pass by the casting vote of the speaker.
Government wished to strengthen the place of Italian in the schools and to achieve
Dominion Status for Malta.
Borg Olivier not strong enough to calm down pro-Italian Mizzians in his party.
Mintoff had more control over the MLP and his proposal for Integration with
Great Britain was more attractive to the people.

Appealed to the peoples sentiments when Great Britain appeared to be

tyrannical.
o October 1954: the Imperial Government gave permission for the NAAFI (Navy
Army Air Force Institute) to establish its duty-free shops for military
personnel in Malta.
Much cheaper.
Detrimental to the governments income.
Parliament dissolved after MWP Minister of Emigration JJ Cole resigned from the
cabinet and voted with the opposition.
o He believed that the MWP should be seen separately, and not as part of the
government.
o

1955

26-28 February.
MLP wins election as the platform of Integration with Great Britain.
o Social, economical, constitutional.
o Would take 20 years to put into effect.
o Includes: three Maltese MPS at Westminster, local government to be
extended especially in religious and educational matters, social services to
be on par with those of Great Britain, no more discrimination at place of
work, Britain to continue to determine foreign and defence policies.
Sacrifice on behalf of the Maltese to meet requirements for transition.
1995 Kilmuir Round Table Conference:
o Convened for the first time and would continue discussion for 2 more years.
o Institutions of Malta to be integrated with those of Great Britain.
o Prototype document for Integration ready by December 1955.
Dom Mintoff Prime Minster of Malta.
Referendum held on 12-13 February, 1956.
o Bishops declared that they would not oppose the integration; however,
they wanted guarantees that the British parliament would have no say
in the religious, educational and family legislation aspect of the
Maltese parliament.
Demanded postponement of vote.
Mintoff decided that this would be prejudicial to the Churchs
claims.
Bishop Gonzi I cannot say I had nothing against Integration. And
reminded the Maltese to do their duty as Catholics.
Influenced a number of the electorate not to vote for
Integration.
o PN instructed its supporters to boycott the vote or invalidate it.

1956-1958 THE INTEGRATION QUESTION

Mintoff and British government satisfied with the outcome of the vote.
PN, Strickland and the Church contended that the majority was not clear and
the scheme should be dropped.
Mintoff embarks on a programme:

o National Insurance/Assistance introduced.

o Education extended to a full time basis.
o Harbours developed.
o Oil exploration made at Naxxar.
o Water supply improved.
o New roads built.
o New town was started Santa Lucija.
1956-7 budget: Mintoff disagrees with the Colonial Secretary on the amount
of aid Britain would give to Malta.
o Asked for 8 million, then 7 million.
o Britain would only grant 5 million later 7.5 million.
National Employment Commission formed to investigate exaggerated
employment of unnecessary labourers with the Government just before
elections.
o 400 of 800 dismissed.
o Became hard-line PN supporters after dismissal.
Mintoff asking for money to bring about better conditions for integration resulted
in strained relationship with the British government.
Britain gives 6 million to balance Maltas budget.
Crisis: Rediffusion (cable radio) used by the Imperial Government to advise
people not to bathe in places where evacuated British nationals would be
brought in by amphibians/sea planes.
o Broadcasting normally in the hands of the Maltese government, but in
defence situations the Military could make use of it.
o Mintoff demanded that Rediffusion disregard the announcement of the
Imperial Government; Rediffusion disregarded Mintoff instead.
o Labour supporters boycott Rediffusion - cut lines, destroy sets.
o Relations back to normal in three weeks.
1957-8 budget, Britain grants six million.
o Mintoff travels to London to define the future constitutions.
o Difficulty regarding equivalence for 12 years, Britain would invest in
Malta until the standard of living would be similar to that of Britain.
o Britain would not guarantee equivalence within 12 years; willing to grant
Malta 5 million annually for five years.
o Mintoff unsatisfied.
Armed forces cut down after Suez loss; garrison in Malta to be reduced and
consternation grew locally.
1 May 1957, Mintoff declared that he wanted equivalence in a given time.
o All of Malta Legislative united in demanding Britain to consider Malta no
dismissals without alternative employment.
1 October 8 November: formation of Aid to Industry Council under Lord
Hives and George Schuster, with the scope of diversification.
Navy dockyard to close and lay off 4000 people.
o January 1958, 140 workers discharged.
Maltese Legislative unanimously contest the British government for trying to
accustom the Maltese with redundancies and for not honouring the July 1955
agreement.
o Break with Britain Resolution 30 December.
Secretary of State reminds Mintoff that they had been given 15 million in 3 years.
o 1957-58 budget, Malta asking for 7 million, but only 6 million was
forthcoming.

Also asking for 7.5 million in grants, 4.5 million as national assistance to
redundant dockyard workers.
o British government offered an interim constitution for five years that fell
short of integration.
Mintoff saw the British terms for integration as impossible and resigned on 23
April 1958, since he could not guarantee law and order.
Riots started as Mintoff resigned.
The GWU orders a general strike for 28 April 1958.
The Police Commissioner DeGray, obeying the Governors instructions, gave orders
to the police to charge the protestors. During the scuffle that ensued, some
military trucks, police stations and Rediffusion cables were destroyed.
Instead of calling for fresh elections, in which the MLP would ask for Independence,
the Government took full control and the constitution was suspended.
o

1961, POLITICAL-RELIGIOUS CRISIS

20 June, 1955: Prime Minister Dom Mintoff and a delegation go to London to discuss
the eventuality of integration with Britain.
o Pays a visit to Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi to report on the progress of the London
talks.
o Explained that, as far as legislation was concerned, the British government
could only intervene in matters of Defence and Foreign Affairs.
Archbishop remained unconvinced.
Perceived integration with Britain as a threat to the constitutional
privileges enjoyed by the Roman Catholic Church and voiced concerns
that integration would lead to things like civil marriages and divorce.
12-13 February, 1956: Parliament convened the referendum.
21 January: Archbishop Gonzi uses the Pastoral letter to declare that the promised
guarantees to the rights/position of the Church had not materialised and reminded
the Maltese to do their duty as Catholics and vote against integration.
o Referendum proved inconclusive.
29 April, 1958: Archbishop Gonzi speaks on Rediffusion to publicly condemn Labour
violence in riots.
o Soon after Mintoffs government resigned in protest.
o Mintoff accused him of unpatriotic behaviour.
Led to the Lenten Pastoral of 1961:
o Archbishop Gonzi denounces the Malta Labour Partys communist and
anticlerical leanings.
17 March: The Party responds by accusing the Church of attempting to hijack Maltas
bid for self-determination.
April 8, 1961: The Church demands an apology and excommunicates Mintoff and his
Labour Party when one is not forthcoming.
4 February, 1962: Archbishop Gonzi declares it a mortal sin to vote Labour, which
leads to the Nationalist Party winning the election.
Church/MLP relations remain strained until an agreement was reached on 4 April,
1969.

1964, INDEPENDENCE

September 20, 1964: Union Jack is lowered and the Maltese flag is raised in Floriana
in front of a crowd of over 100,000.

Prince Phillip officially hands over to Prime Minister Gorg Borg Olivier in the presence
of Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi, Governor Sir Maurice Dorman and the chairman of the
Maltese Independence Conference, Duncan Sandys.
o The conference was held in Marlborough House, London.
o July 1963.
Scuffles break out after Labour supporters chant Viva Mintoff and the police get
involved.
Gorg Borg Olivier took the Nationalist Party into power in the February elections,
1962 .
Maltese Independence Conference began in July 1963.
o Attended by the Nationalist Party, the Malta Labour Party, the Christian
Workers Party, the Democratic Nationalist Party and the Progressive
Constitutional Party.
MLP soon withdraw in protest.
o February, 1964: Archbishop Gonzi attends for the first time.
Borg Olivier submits the new constitution, drawn up by Professor JJ Cremona,
approved by the Legislative Assembly and a nationwide referendum.
o Formally accepted by Sandys.
September 2, 1964: Buckingham Palace publishes the Malta Independence Order.
Agreed sum of British aid over a period of ten years was 51,600,000 plus retaining
facilities for its fleet in the Grand Harbour.

1974, REPUBLIC

June 17, 1971: Dom Mintoff comes into power.

o Formally requests that the Crown replace Maltas Governor General with a
Maltese citizen.
July 3: Buckingham Palace agrees Chief Justice Sir Anthony Mamo is appointed
Acting Governor General.
After long talks between the Church and the two major parties, necessary
constitutional changes for Maltas transition from Constitutional Monarchy to Republic
are proposed.
December 13, 1974: Parliament passed the motion with 49 votes in favour and six
against.
o Sir Mamo elected president of the newly proclaimed Republic of Malta.
Swearing-in ceremony attended by the two major parties and the church.
A large crowd outside cheered when they heard Labour MPs pledge allegiance to the
new Republic and booed the Nationalists.
Sir Anthony and Lady Mamo entered the hall; he took the oath of the office of
President.
o Trumpeters of the newly-formed First Regiment of the Armed Forces of Malta
started a fanfare as the Royal Malta Artillery Band played.
The first Maltese president, accompanied by Mr Mintoff, Dr Hyzler, Mr Lorry Sant and
Dr Anton Buttigieg, appeared on the balcony.

1979, CLOSURE OF BRITISH NAVAL BASE

New Labour government wanted a position of neutrality between the two

superpowers and expressed its intention of relieving itself of foreign military presence
in the country.
July 19: Lord Carrington, British Minister of Defence, and Lord Balniel, Secretary of
State, arrive in Malta for talks on the revision of the Defence Treaty Agreement.

Increase of money for the use of Maltas island facilities went from 4.8 million
to 30 million.
o UK offered 8.5 but Mintoff would only agree to terms which favoured Maltas
eventual goal of self-determination.
Christmas Day, 1971: Turns down the offer and decreases his own to 18 million.
o
Britain declined and commenced withdrawal of her forces.
January 19, 1972: Mintoff flies to Rome to meet Lord Carrington and NATOs
Secretary-General.
o Pressure on NATO by British premier Edward Heath and Italian delegates.
8 February: Talks are broken down.
o NATO puts forward final offer 14 million.
o Mintoff flies to Italy for talks with the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary.
20 March: farewell parades for the RAF Malta and the Navy.
24 March: agreement is signed at Marlboro house, London, by Mintoff and Carrington
to keep Britains forces until 1979 and pay 14 million per annum, plus 1 million in
economic aid.
o Italy and the United States were to pay 2.5 million in economic aid.
o Malta could not harbour any Warsaw Pact military vessel.
o Britain and NATO could not use her to launch attacks on any Arab country.
31 March, 1979: Final hand-over ceremony takes place at the new monument
constructed on the Vittoriosa waterfront.
o Large crowds gathered around the monument to witness the lowering of the
Union Jack for the last time and the raising of the Maltese flag.
o Emotions ran high.
Ceremonial flame is lit and Maltas freedom from foreign military was led in by a
fireworks display and pealing of bells all over the island.
Principles of Neutrality and Non-alignment eventually written into the Constitution on
15 January, 1987.
o