A relative majority of the members on the Committee of Human Rights and Legal Affairs today accepted Malta's list of nominations for the post of judge in the European Court of Human Rights, but that was not enough to signal approval, despite what was initially thought.

A Justice Ministry spokesman explained that Malta had not won the backing of the absolute majority of the members of the committee. Thirty out of the 42 members present at the committee meeting today backed Malta but Malta could never win because voting is based on the full membership and the absolute majority is 43.

The process has been long-winding, with the the Committee having repeatedly rejected the Maltese nominations because no woman was among them. However Justice Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici told Parliament last month that the committee had appeared to have accepted Malta's reasons for nominating three men.

The nominees are Chief Justice Vincent DeGaetano, Mr Justice Joseph Filletti and Mr Justice Joseph David Camilleri.

The spokesman said Malta may end up having to issue a fresh call for nominations.

One of the nominees will succeed Giovanni Bonello, the current Maltese judge on the Court.