A spokesperson for EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in a statement that instead of conducting an analysis of the 2022 General Election to understand why fewer women were elected than in the previous election, "the Labour Party has indulged in yet another partisan attack."

The PL in a statement, had said that the increased presence of women in Parliament has helped to make parliamentary work more representative and with a broader vision for the benefit of the people. "This was a necessary - and successful - step towards a fairer and more equal society. It is therefore regrettable to hear comments questioning the legitimacy or capacity of these women. Recent remarks by the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola and PN MP Claudette Buttigieg give the wrong impression that this mechanism has failed - an interpretation that is not only premature, but also based on superficial impressions and not on a serious and objective assessment," the PL said. 

The spokesperson for Metsola, in a statement reacting to the PL, said: "In 2022, the electorate voted for fewer women than ever before. Only 4 women were elected to the Maltese Parliament - half of those elected in 2017. This means that, even if the intentions were noble, the mechanism has failed. The numbers highlight this. After the mechanism was introduced, fewer women were elected. At this point, a discussion should be held about what could really lead to more women contesting and being elected in elections. The law provides for a sunset clause after 20 years in the hope that equality will come into practice. Since there was a regression rather than a progression following the first election that the mechanism came into effect, this discussion should take place as from now and not after the year 2042!"

"Our country needs a mature national discussion - beyond the hyper-partisanship adopted by the Labour Party - that looks at how to strengthen Malta's democracy, including having a full-time Parliament, as in the case of the Speaker nowadays; more resources for policies and draft laws to be studied; as well as equal representation on the ballot paper. This will also help to ensure that the implementation and the results achieved are better. Partisan attacks will hinder the level of politics in Malta from rising further - in fact the reverse effect will happen: more people will be alienated from politics. It is only with a mature discussion that our country can truly take the next leap forward," the statement by Metsola's spokesperson read.