Maltese Patriots Movement
Moviment Patrijotti Maltin
AbbreviationMPM
LeaderSimon Borg
Founded8 April 2016 (2016-04-08)
Ideology
Political positionFar-right
ReligionRoman Catholicism
House of Representatives
0 / 67
European Parliament
0 / 6
Local Council Seats
0 / 462
Website
patrijottimaltin.org

The Maltese Patriots Movement (Maltese: Moviment Patrijotti Maltin, MPM) is an inactive right-wing populist political party in Malta. It was formed in April 2016 as a political wing of the Maltese Patriotic Association.[1]

History

The MPM was founded on the 8 April 2016 and immediately announced its application to the Electoral Commission as a new political party under the Financing of Political Parties Act.[2][3] In the 2017 Maltese general election, the party failed to elect any candidate in parliament.[4] Shortly after the 2019 European Parliament election, the party became inactive, while its social media accounts went inactive later in 2020.

Positions

The Maltese Patriots Movement is oriented towards far-right politics.[5][6] It has expressed right-wing populist rhetoric by stating opposition to immigration and criticizing Islam.[5][7] It has called for European Union funds allocated to Malta for the purpose be instead allocated for the benefit of Maltese people and for Malta to no longer be a member of the Schengen Area.[8] It also opposes the Maltese government's endorsement of the non-binding Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.[9] It has also expressed ethnic nationalist,[10] and socially conservative stances.[11]

At an October 2016 protest led by the party against the possible opening of a Muslim prayer room in Buġibba, leader Henry Battistino called for a national registry of Muslims and compared Muslim immigrants to rabbits breeding excessively.[12] Stephen Florian, an MPM party official, also spoke at the protest and stated that any religion other than Roman Catholicism should only have one place of worship in the country.[13] Florian later caused controversy when he outed a counter-protester from the Buġibba protest as transgender.[14]

MPM is frequently hostile toward media and the Maltese establishment, with Battistino referring to the media as traitors that are trying to "force [integration] down everyone's throats".[12] The party's sister organisation, Għaqda Patrijotti Maltin, was the subject of a complaint from the Institute of Maltese Journalists for protesters obstructing reporters from doing their job.[15]

Election results

General elections

Election Leader Votes  % Seats +/– Position Government
2017 Henry Battistino 1,117 0.36
0 / 67
 New 5th extra-parliamentary

European Parliament elections

Election Party leader Votes  % Seats +/– Position
2019 Simon Borg 771 0.30
0 / 6
 New 7th

References

  1. ↑ "Min Aħna". Moviment Patrijotti Maltin (in Maltese). 1 April 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  2. ↑ "Min Aħna". Moviment Patrijotti Maltin (in Maltese). 1 April 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  3. ↑ "Financing of Political Parties Act". 1 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  4. ↑ "Electoral Commission of Malta". electoral.gov.mt. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  5. 1 2 Tim Diacono. "Far-right leaders make pitch for return to 'traditional Maltese, Christian values'". MaltaToday. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Sansone, Kurt (18 December 2016). "Expect a long ballot sheet next general election". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  7. ↑ Yannick Pace (4 January 2017). "On the right, Maltese conservatives still unable to find common ground". MaltaToday. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  8. ↑ "Moviment Patrijotti Maltin call for referendum on integration". The Malta Independent. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Carabott, Sarah (12 December 2018). "Moviment Patrijotti call on government to withdraw from Migration Compact". Times of Malta. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "'Make Malta For The Maltese Again': Moviment Patrijotti Maltin Announce 2019 MEP Election Run". Lovin Malta. 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  11. ↑ "Patriots at the pro-life rally". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  12. 1 2 Schembri, Gabriel; Bonnici, Julian (9 October 2016). "'You're all dirty' remarks demonstrator during protest against Bugibba prayer room". The Malta Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  13. ↑ Leone Ganado, Philip (9 October 2016). "Prayer is a human right, self-proclaimed patriots told during protest". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  14. ↑ "Patrijotti official Stephen Florian apologises for outing transgender person". Times of Malta. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  15. ↑ "IĠM asks for steps to be taken against "patriots" who obstructed journalists while on duty". TVM News. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
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