State in Malta

The Constitution of Malta, adopted in 1964, is the supreme legal framework. It establishes a separation and interdependence of legislative, executive and judicial power. The President serves a five-year term and appoints as Prime Minister the Member of Parliament best placed to command majority support. On the Prime Minister's advice, the President appoints ministers. The Cabinet directs government policy and remains accountable to Parliament. Parliament is unicameral: its House of Representatives has 65 directly elected seats, with a constitutional mechanism for additional seats in defined circumstances. The President promulgates laws passed by Parliament. The Constitutional Court interprets constitutional provisions, hears human-rights appeals and examines the validity of laws. The European Convention on Human Rights forms part of Maltese law, and people can seek a court remedy for an alleged breach of constitutional rights. The public administration includes ministries, departments, authorities, agencies and other public entities. A Permanent Secretary manages a ministry's administration under the Public Service framework, while the Public Service Commission handles constitutional functions such as merit-based recruitment and discipline. People can use servizz.gov through Maltese or English for many government services; the required documents, eligibility rules and processing times depend on the service. A request under the Freedom of Information Act is sent to the relevant public authority's FOI Officer. The authority generally has 20 working days to decide, after which the requester can use the Information and Data Protection Commissioner's appeal or complaint process where the law permits. Malta's local government has 68 Local Councils: 54 on Malta and 14 in Gozo. Six Regional Councils have operated since 2022. Local Councils manage statutory locality services such as domestic waste, public gardens, facilities and community activities, and they may consult residents on planning, traffic and related proposals. Regional Councils coordinate or support councils on functions assigned by law. Gozo has regional institutions but is not a sovereign or constitutionally autonomous state. Local service conditions and any charges can vary by council, while the Local Government Division supervises legal, financial and procurement compliance. Public money follows the annual Budget and Financial Estimates. Parliament authorises expenditure, the Ministry for Finance leads fiscal planning, and the Treasury and finance directorates execute and report on approved spending. The Malta Fiscal Advisory Council provides independent fiscal oversight, the National Audit Office audits public funds and performance, and the Public Contracts Review Board handles procurement reviews under the applicable rules. Public bodies and tenderers must follow appropriation, procurement, transparency and accountability requirements; review fees and deadlines depend on the particular procurement procedure. Independent oversight gives people and Parliament ways to examine public power. The Ombudsman investigates alleged maladministration or injustice by public-sector bodies, and the service is free. Ordinary redress should generally be used first where appropriate, and an Ombudsman's recommendation is not a binding court order or a suspension of judicial limitation periods. The National Audit Office reports to Parliament, while the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life investigates statutory or ethical breaches by covered persons in public life. The institution responsible for a matter determines whether the suitable response is an administrative complaint, an FOI appeal, an audit or standards process, or court proceedings. The public sphere includes freedom of expression, information, assembly and association, subject to lawful limits protecting democratic society, privacy, public safety, the authority of courts and the rights of others. The independent Broadcasting Authority regulates Maltese radio and television, including impartiality and political or industrial controversy, while the Department of Information communicates government and public-interest information. Security functions remain distinct: the Malta Police Force handles policing and public order, the Armed Forces of Malta protect Malta's territory, waters and airspace and support search and rescue, and the Civil Protection Department handles fire, rescue and civil protection. The emergency number 112 is free and immediate, and the Civil Protection Department operates 24 hours. The Critical Infrastructure Protection Directorate and the Rescue Coordination Centre handle specialised infrastructure, network-security and maritime or air-rescue functions.