‘Personal circumstances’: Momentum explains why it has no female election candidates

The political party Momentum has said that the reason as to why it has no female candidates for the upcoming general elections is due to the personal circumstances of the women within the party.

The party unveiled its electoral list of seven candidates on Thursday morning, but soon attracted criticism on the basis that none of their candidates are women.

Contacted by The Malta Independent, a spokesperson for the party said that the party included several talented women in its executive committee and in other voluntary capacities, but their personal circumstances do not allow them to stand as candidates.

“We at Momentum are proud to have 40% of committed, dedicated, and talented women serving on its executive committee, each of whom has consistently represented the movement in public,” the party said.

It said that the party also has various other women who contribute actively as volunteers. All of them devote a significant portion of their free time to Momentum on a voluntary basis, engaging in politics out of genuine altruism, dedication, and commitment, the party said.

“At present, their personal circumstances do not allow them to stand as candidates in a general election. We have to respect their personal decisions,” the party added.

“But there are even bigger political barriers which make it even more difficult for women to take this step. It is worth noting that the gender mechanism is also intrinsically discriminatory because it excludes women of third parties and thus discourages them from being candidates,” it added.

The party was referring to the gender corrective mechanism which can see up to a maximum of 12 women elected to Parliament in the case that the gender is significantly under-represented.  The legislation for the mechanism was written in such a manner that it will only function if two parties are elected, and not more.

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