Constitutional Law in Malta

Professor Kevin Aquilina, dean of the Faculty of Laws at the University of Malta, has published this year a monograph entitled Constitutional Law in Malta with Dutch legal publishers Wolters Kluwer. This book was originally published as a monograph in the International Encyclopaedia of Laws/Constitutional Law series by the same publisher.

The monograph briefly addresses the characteristics of the Maltese state, in particular, the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and national sovereignty. The territory of Malta, referred to in the Constitution of Malta, is discussed together with the Republican features of the Constitution which include state symbols, the principles of constitutional law, Malta’s international and regional institutional membership and the main organs and institutions of the state.

One whole part of the monograph introspects the sources of Maltese Constitutional Law, ranging from public international law sources to European Union law sources as well as other sources such as judicial decisions, authoritative works and constitutional practice as it has evolved over time since Malta attained Independence in 1964. One section concerns the amendment machinery of the Constitution together with popular sovereignty in the form of referenda – whether consultative, abrogative or required for constitutional amendment purposes.

The monograph further examines the form of government in Malta which comprises the political system and the social forces together with the highest officers of state – the President, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and others, as well as the three organs of the state – the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary, as well as other state institutions.

Local self-government, which has evolved since 1993, features in this monograph in a chapter in its own right as does the public administration. Other constitutional aspects considered in this book are human rights and fundamental freedoms, citizenship, church-state relations, the economic constitution and the Armed Forces. The book may be purchased directly from the publisher by sending an e-mail to international-sales@ wolterskluwer.com at the price of €85.