At stake in the referendum:     

• Referendum on whether to continue to allow spring hunting or to abolish it. 

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Presdient Marie Louise Coleiro PRECA

• Head of Government: Joseph MUSCAT

• Assembly: Malta has a unicameral House of Representatives (Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati) with 65 seats.***

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by parliament to serve a 5-year term.

• The Prime Minister is appointed by the President to serve a 5-year term.

• In the House of Representatives (Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati) 65 members are elected through a single transferable vote (STV) proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms.***

*** Additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority.

Provision in the Referendum (held 11 April 2015):

• “Do you agree that the provisions of the 'Framework for Allowing a Derogation Opening a Spring Hunting Season for Turtle Dove and Quail Regulations' (Subsidiary Legislation 504.94) should continue in force?”

Results:

• Votes in Favor: 50.44% of the vote (126, 434 votes)
• Votes Against: 49.56% of the vote (124,214 votes)

Electoral Requirements:

• An absolute majority of electors must vote “Yes.”  The referendum is non-binding; parliament would still be required to pass a new law.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 412,655 (July 2014 est.)^[1]

• Registered Voters: 338,447^[2]

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 207,191 (2014 est.)^[3]

• Is Malta a signatory to CEDAW: No

• Has Malta ratified CEDAW: No

• Gender Quota:  No, but there are “voluntary party quotas.”^[4]

• Female Candidates in this election: N/A

• Number of Female Legislators: 10 (14%) of 70 seats in the House of Representatives

• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 39

• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

• Is Malta a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

• Has Malta ratified CRPD: Yes (10 October 2012)