Being asked “who is your MP” sounds rum to me because my reply can only be “one of five”. Not quite a convincing answer, even to a fellow Maltese citizen.

The single transferable vote system needs replacing by a simpler and fairer one, which is more suitable for a small compact jurisdiction like ours. Hence, the following suggestion for consideration by whoever is tasked with updating the Constitution:

A. Parliament to have 40 elected members together with additions that would be required to reflect party-voting preferences.

B. Malta to have 37 constituencies and Gozo three, for a total of 40. Each constituency to elect one person to represent it in Parliament. Near-equality in the number of voters is not necessary, nor even desirable.

C. Electors to be handed two voting documents: (1) solely containing the names of the political parties, and (2) listing the names of all the candidates standing for that particular constituency, including independents.

Voters need only put one cross on each of the two sheets, thus indicating the party they would like to have in government and the person most worthy to represent them in Parliament, who may not necessarily belong to the same party.

D. The total votes from all the constituencies each party obtains determine its proportionate representation in Parliament. In the event that this differs from that resulting from among the elected 40 members, the Election Commission would add on as necessary to respect proportionality, allowing the allotted party itself the choice of members.

F. The demise for any reason of any elected member would require a bye-election in that constituency but without the document of party choice.

The result might change a government’s working majority, perhaps even necessitating the holding of an election.