Maltese Political Union Explained

Maltese Political Union
Native Name:Unjoni Politika Maltija
Leader1 Title:Leader
Leader1 Name:Joseph Howard
Foundation:1920
Dissolution:1926
Merger:Malta Political Association
Patriotic Committee
Merged:Nationalist Party
Religion:Roman Catholicism
Country:Malta

The Maltese Political Union (Italian: Unione Politica Maltese, Maltese: Unjoni Politika Maltija) was a political party in Malta.

History

The party was established in 1920 by a merger of the Malta Political Association and the Patriotic Committee.[1] It emerged as the largest party in Parliament as a result of the 1921 elections, and its leader Joseph Howard became the country's first Prime Minister.[1] Two of the most popular politicians within the party were Enrico Dandria and Ignazio Panzavecchia, both clerics representing the party in Parliament.

The 1924 elections saw the party reduced to ten seats, and it had to form a coalition with the Democratic Nationalist Party to stay in power. In 1926 the two parties merged to form the Nationalist Party.[1]

In 1947 the Democratic Action Party was established as a revived Maltese Political Union.[2]

Ideology

The party sought to give the Italian language equal status with English in education and to progress towards self-government. It also defended the powers of the Catholic church.[1]

Election results

Legislative Assembly

ElectionLeaderVotes%Seats+/–PositionStatus
1921Joseph Howard7,99939.071st
1924Francesco Buhagiar6,55327.23 4 2nd

Senate

Notes and References

  1. Vincent E McHale (1983) Political parties of Europe, Greenwood Press, p634
  2. McHale, p631