Constitutional Party (Malta) - Government (1927-33)

Government (1927-33)

The Party obtained a relative majority of 15 seats out of 32 in the 1927 elections. Labour was invited to participate in a coalition. The offer was declined but, in terms of the "Compact" agreement, the three Labour MPs supported the government giving it a majority. The government, however, lacked a majority in the Senate which, at the time, could still reject money bills. After a protracted battle, Letters Patent were issued, amending the Constitution, so that bills could be carried by a simple majority of both Houses combined.

The other major battle of this government was with the Church. There had been a long buildup to the crisis. The Church was perceived as being sympathetic to the Nationalist Party and the Progress Press papers lost no opportunity in condemning the behaviour of priests particularly in Gozo.

A trivial incident led to things boiling over. Government decided to intervene when a superior at the Franciscan convent in Valletta (who happened to be an Italian by the name of Padre Carta) decided to send to Italy Rev. Micallef, a Maltese priest under his responsibility. Strickland's papers alleged that this amounted to exile of a Maltese and was due to Micallef's pro-Strickland sympathies.

In the feast of Christ the King of 1930 the Bishop's sermon (in Italian) was interrupted by Labour and Constitutional supporters who clamoured for Maltese. This was a signal and outside St John's Co-Cathedral pro- and anti-Church crowds verbally confronted each other. Tensions rose as the different factions shouted "Viva Calles!" and "Viva Kristu Re!" in reference to the contemporary anti-clerical policies of Plutarco Calles and the resistance put up by the Cristeros in Mexico.

On 1 May 1930, as the election approached, Bishops Dom Mauro Caruana and Mikiel Gonzi issued a pastoral letter imposing mortal sin and an interdict on voters of the Constitutional Party and its allies (taken to refer to Labour). This gave the pretext to the colonial authorities to claim that a free and fair election was not possible in the circumstances and, therefore, to suspend the constitution. Strickland and his ministers were held on as a caretaker government.