Maltese living abroad should have a right to register and vote in the nearest embassy or they will end up “stateless”, according to Alternattiva Demokratika.

They cannot vote in the country where they are living

AD spokesman Arnold Cassola said such people were still featured on the Electoral Register and should therefore be given electoral rights.

“They cannot vote in the country where they are living, so if they do not have the facility to vote in Maltese elections they will be stateless for their whole life,” he said.

He said it was “unacceptable” that both main parties were claiming that it was too late to take action as the election date was too close.

“The Prime Minister has all the necessary constitutional powers to reconvene Parliament to amend the law.”

AD is also questioning whether the rights of patients in hospital are being sufficiently safeguarded.

From January up to election day, the directors of Mount Carmel, Mater Dei and Gozo hospitals as well as St Vincent de Paul Residence for the Elderly had to submit a daily list of all the patients and nurses in their hospitals to the Electoral Commissioner. These were passed on to political parties.

AD deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said the Green party was refusing such lists.

“And we have asked the Data Protection Commissioner to look into this,” he said, adding that all that was needed was a list four days before election day so that the commission could organise the voting.

He raised the issue of the large sums of money being spent in the electoral campaign by the Nationalist and Labour parties.

“It is clear that both the PN and the PL are spending millions of euros, which cannot have come from fundraising,” said Mr Cacopardo. He pointed out that a law on party financing had long been tabled by MP Franco Debono.

“Just like Franco Debono was used for other issues they could have used him for this, too,” he said.

AD wants legislation that would make it compulsory for parties to declare donations in excess of €5,000 annually and ban donations in excess of €40,000 annually.