Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta


The Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives of Malta. The Speaker is responsible for controlling the flow of House business and acts as "referee" during debates. It is the Speaker's duty to ensure that the rules of the House for conducting its business are followed and that all Members of the House have an opportunity to take part in debates. Balancing the right of the majority to conduct business with the right of the minority to be heard is one of the Speaker's most difficult tasks. Because it is essential that the Speaker be seen to be above party politics, he/she does not take part in debate or vote, unless there is a tie. When there is a tie, the casting vote is conventionally used in a way to promote further discussion in the house rather than ending the debate. All remarks made in the House must be addressed to the Speaker, and no Members may stand when the Speaker is standing.

Qualification

The Speaker can either be appointed from within the House or from outside the House. However, on appointment, if the Speaker is appointed from one of the members of the House, he or she loses his original vote within the House. For a Speaker to be appointed he must qualify to be a Member of the House of Representatives of Malta, this criterion being specifically of important consideration for those appointed from outside the House.