Law students condemn standards commissioner anti-deadlock bill

Law students have condemned the government’s new bill that will allow it to appoint a standards commissioner without the need for a two-thirds majority in parliament.

“The proposed amendment to the mechanism of appointment of Commissioner for Standards in Public Life reduces public trust within this office by politicising the appointment mechanism of the Commissioner,” Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi (GħSL) said in a statement issued on Friday.

The anti-deadlock mechanism the bill is introducing would allow MPs to appoint a standards commissioner by a simple majority if two initial votes fail to hit a two-thirds majority.

Each of these votes would have to be held within a week of the previous one, according to the legal text being proposed by the government. 

Malta's first standards commissioner, George Hyzler, was voted into the role in 2018 when both sides were able to come to an agreement.

However, as neither side is able to agree on who will succeed Hyzler, the government has put this bill forward to avoid such stalemate situations.

The proposal has been heavily criticised by the Nationalist Party, which has accused Prime Minister Robert Abela of wanting to force his preferred...