To ensure proportional representation

My references to the remaining quirks in our electoral system in Monday's Talking Point elicited a number of reactions. Mostly they pointed out that a constitutional amendment passed in 2007 introduced a measure of proportionality in the adjustment mechanism that is triggered when an absolute or relative majority of votes does not give the winner a majority of seats in the House of Representatives in a general election.

That amendment was useful in itself. Nevertheless, it represented no more than further patchwork when a new electoral system constitutional quilt would be far more appropriate.

We continue to base ourselves on a proportional representation system. It is based on a number of constituencies which are not of equal size. They may not vary from each other by a percentage of votes, reduced to five per cent from 15 per cent by a Labour Administration after the election of 1971. As such, quotas vary between constituencies. They used to vary far more when the 15 per cent margin was in place. But they can still vary by almost 10 per cent with the much smaller deviation allowed now. This aggravates one of the major shortcomings under our proportional representation system. Through it, quotas for five candidates in each constituency are set at one sixth plus one of the valid votes cast. Thereby, a sixth of the total votes cast are "wasted". Because of that, and through the different-sized quotas, it remains possible for a party to gain a majority of valid votes cast but a minority of seats. It is that eventuality that is what the present adjustment mechanisms, set through three constitutional amendments, attempts to correct.

I do not believe that is the best way forward. It is my view, and experience shows that I am not alone in this, that we should have an electoral system rooted in strict proportionality. Thereby, the number of votes gained would translate into seats allocated with the least possible wastage. The size of the House of Representatives would not have to be adjusted to correct any disproportion of seats to votes. Real proportionality would be inherent in the system. That way, the system would be more just and ensure strict fairness. It would also not necessitate unnecessary expense to the taxpayers through avoidable adjustment of seats.

There are several ways to get strict proportionality. Years ago, when Lawrence Gonzi was still the highly-esteemed Speaker of the House of Representatives, he chaired a commission which went into how we could construct a more efficient and fairer electoral system. As always, agreement on its subsequent proposals was elusive. Nothing has been done since then to bring about strict proportionality, although the main parties have made some progress in direct discussions, leading to the amendments of 2007.

I feel that, with three years to go to the next election, it is high time for a new effort to be made. That should come from the House Committee set up to strengthen democracy, which is one reason why I disagree with the boycott of the committee put in place by the Labour opposition after the Justyne Caruana mis-voting allegation by the Deputy Prime Minister.

The committee, not remarkably active since it was set up - though, through ex-Speaker Louis Galea's initiative it produced a few concrete results - should start meeting again.

It should be a primary objective of Speaker Michael Frendo to focus it, among other things, on strengthening the electoral system. The major parties jib at that because serious consideration would have to be given to the introduction of a threshold to give small parties a chance of making it to Parliament.

I am not in favour of coalitions. But one cannot proclaim to be democratic and also be prepared to condemn minorities to perpetual non-representation.

As things stand, we could have another disproportionate result in the next general election. That would be in nobody's interest, certainly not in the interest of voters who want to see their voting preferences democratically respected. It is time to move forward if we are to ensure true proportional representation.