Oh good heavens, I was wrong

Norman Lowell can stand for the general election in 2013. This is what article 54 (Disqualification for membership of the House of Representatives) of the Constitution says:

(1) No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives –

(f) if he is under sentence of death imposed on him by any court in Malta or is serving a sentence of imprisonment (by whatever name called), exceeding twelve months imposed on him by such a court or substituted by competent authority for some other sentence imposed on him by such a court;

By 2013, the suspension of his two-year sentence will be up. I’m sorry to disappoint you (I’m very disappointed myself). I should have read that article back again before writing.

That font of all parliamentary knowledge, Fausto Majjistral, has come to the rescue with the relevant clause from the European Parliament Elections Act, to let us know whether Norman Lowell can or cannot stand for the MEP elections next year.

19. (1) Without prejudice to the provisions of the Act, no person shall be qualified to stand for election as a member of the European Parliament or, if elected, to remain a member thereof if, whether in Malta or in any other Member State –

(e) he is serving a sentence of imprisonment (by whatever name called) exceeding twelve months imposed on him by a court in a Member State or is under such a sentence of imprisonment the execution of which has been suspended;

In other words, no – Norman Lowell can’t stand for the MEP elections next year, because he will still be “under such a sentence of imprisonment the execution of which has been suspended.’

Now it’s his turn and that of his little friend Arlette Baldacchino to be sorely disappointed.