Country profile
Malta
Repubblika ta' Malta
Europe · Southern Europe
MT · MLT
- Capital
- Valletta
- Population
- 574,250
- Area
- 316 km²
- Democracy index
- 78
- Regime type
- Fragmented Democracy
Events
Ballots from Malta
The latest elections, referendums, and opinion polls from Malta. Community totals are not official results.
Live(1)1 published ballot
Classification
Democracy profile
The score and regime label are assigned by Porto Voto using our in-house democracy index and classification framework, not ratings from governments or external agencies.
Democracy index
78/100
Regime type
Fragmented Democracy
Malta remains a highly competitive parliamentary democracy with a robust electoral structure and well respected civil liberties, yet its overall democratic quality is persistently weighed down by structural governance friction and institutional deficits. Political life continues to be defined by intense polarization between two dominant parties, which restricts the viability of smaller political factions. Furthermore, despite persistent pressure from the European Union and local civil society coalitions, anti corruption bodies operate under structural limits, and substantial delays across the judicial framework continue to hamper accountability. Independent watchdogs and rule of law advocates express ongoing concern over systemic delays in court proceedings and the lack of a comprehensive public strategy to prevent corruption within senior administrative branches, leaving the country with functional democratic mechanisms that face persistent institutional drag.
Last evaluation:
How we classify regimes →World Factbook
Country background
A concise introduction to Malta, together with notes on how power and law are organized, to put local ballots in context.
With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times falling under the control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and French.
Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination, as its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities.
Malta became an EU member in 2004 and joined the eurozone in 2008.