Progressive Constitutionalist Party (Malta) Explained

Progressive Constitutional Party
Native Name:Maltese

Partit Kostituzzjonali Progressiv (Maltese name never used)

Colorcode:white
Leader:Mabel Strickland
Foundation:1953
Ideology:British Monarchism
Pro-Dominion status
Anti-Communism
Dissolved:1971
Split:Constitutional Party
Newspaper:Times of Malta (de facto)
Religion:Roman Catholicism

The Progressive Constitutionalist Party (PCP) was a political party in Malta between 1953 and 1971.

History

The PCP was established in 1953 by Mabel Strickland, owner of the Times of Malta and daughter of Gerald Strickland, the founder of the Constitutional Party.[1] It was a split from the Constitutional Party, which Strickland had left in protest against its support for the Labour Party's policy of integration with the United Kingdom.[1]

The party failed to win a seat in elections in 1953 and 1955, but won a single seat in the 1962 elections. However, it lost its seat in the post-independence 1966 elections. After failing to win a seat in the 1971 elections it subsequently disappeared.

Ideology

The party promoted loyalty to the Catholic church and the British Crown, but advocated dominion status for Malta to avoid any cultural assimilation or secularisation that integration with the United Kingdom would bring.[2] It also held a strict anti-communist line.[1]

Electoral history

ElectionLeaderVotes%Seats+/–RankStatus
1953Mabel Strickland5,128New4throwspan="2"
19553,649 0 3rd
19627,290 1 5th
19662,009 1 4throwspan="2"
19711,756 0 3rd
Party dissolved

External links

Notes and References

  1. Vincent E McHale (1983) Political parties of Europe, Greenwood Press, p635
  2. McHale, p636