At stake in this Referendum:

• Referendum on accepting the EU Treaty of Accession

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Guido DE MARCO
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Edward FENCH-ADAMI
• Assembly: Malta has a unicameral House of Representatives with 65 seats. ***

*** Additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• The referendum will ask voters to decide whether to accept or reject the EU Treaty of Accession, which will allow Malta to become a member of the European Union (EU). The referendum will ask voters the following question: "Do you agree that Malta become a member of the European Union in the enlargement that will take place on 1st May 2004?"

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 398,582 (2003)
• Registered Voters: 297,930 (2003)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 201,532 (2003)

·         Is Malta a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Malta ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (8 March 1991)

·         Gender Quota: No, but some political parties have adopted gender quotas

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 6 (following the 1998 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 37 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Malta a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Malta ratified CRPD: Yes (10 October 2012)

·         Population with a disability: 59,787 (est.)