The Europeanisation of Party Politics in Malta Values, Legitimation, and Polarisation

This book examines the Europeanisation of party politics in Malta.  It evaluates the influence of Europeanisation on the political system, which is based on two party-system, polarisation, and clientelism. Malta is the smallest European Union (EU) member state, which joined the EU in 2004. The road toward membership was fraught with contentious and emotionally charged debates. This book explores the relationship between Maltese political parties and the EU, the politicisation and framing of the European Union by political parties, and the impact of the European Union on Malta’s political system.

The book further discusses more contentious recent events which made headlines at the EU level, including the Panama Papers scandals, the Individual Investment Programme, and the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The book will appeal to students, scholars, and researchers of political science and international relations interested in a better understanding ofelectoral studies, Europeanisation, European integration, as well as the Maltese political system, and party politics.

Jean Claude Cachia is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute for European Studies, University of Malta. He holds a PhD in politics from the University of Lincoln (UK). His research focuses on Europeanisation, political parties, elections, and electoral systems.