Democratic Alternative (Malta)
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| Alternattiva Demokratika | |
|---|---|
| Democratic Alternative | |
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| Leader | Harry Vassallo |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Headquarters | 10, Triq Manwel Dimech Sliema |
| Political Ideology | Green politics |
| International Affiliation | Global Greens |
| European Affiliation | European Greens |
| European Parliament Group | European Green Party |
| Colours | Green |
| Website | www.alternattiva.org.mt |
| See also | Politics of Malta |
The Democratic Alternative (Alternattiva Demokratika) is a Green political party in Malta, particularly dedicated to environmentalism.
Democratic Alternative was founded in 1989. Labour Party President Toni Abela and Labour MP and Parliamentary whip Wenzu Mintoff resigned their posts within the Malta Labour Party, and joined a number of environmental activists to form the new political party. Both were expelled from the Labour Party, with Mintoff retaining his seat.
Democratic Alternative first stood for national elections in 1992, when it obtained 1.69% of first preferences (their best result so far) and no seats. In the subsequent elections of 1996 and 1998 the Party's share of the vote declined. Following the 1998 result, Abela and Mintoff resigned from the party and returned to the Labour Party (Mintoff also ran, unsuccessfully, for the 2004 European Parliament elections on a Labour Party ticket).
In 2003 the party campaigned for a Yes vote in the referendum on membership in the European Union but the declining trend in general elections continued and in election that year the Party obtained only 0.7% of first preference votes. In 2004 the party obtained a remarkable result in the European Parliament election with 9.33% of first preference votes cast and the party's candidate, Arnold Cassola narrowly failing to be elected as MEP.
As a Maltese-Italian Cassola was elected in the Italian general elections in 2006 for the Federation of the Greens (Federazione dei Verdi) in the L'Unione centre-left coalition by Italian expatriates in the European Constituency to the Italian Chamber of Deputies. Cassola stood as a candidate with the La Sinistra-Arcobaleno coalition in Italian general elections of 2008 but failed to be elected[1].
In the Maltese general election of 2008, the party increased its share of the vote to 1.31%.
Democratic Alternative holds a seat in each of the local councils of Attard, Sliema and Sannat.
Chairperson: Dr Harry Vassallo (since 1998)
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