The politics of differentiated integration : what do governments want? Country report - Malta

Abstract

Differentiated integration (DI) was a more important issue prior to Malta’s accession to the European Union in 2004. It has turned up very rarely in Parliamentary debates or its standing European and Foreign Affairs Committee, and almost never in statements by politicians or electoral manifestos. Its occasional salience has been mainly to affirm the Maltese Government’s position, shared with the Opposition, on upholding solidarity and the rule of law. Once part of the EU, the rhetoric of Malta’s main political parties is one that (largely) expects EU member states to ‘play ball’ and respect the principles of solidarity and working together, certainly in relation to particular policy fields – such as how to negotiate with UK officials and their commitment to secure Brexit – and (especially for Malta) in the face of the Mediterranean migration issue.