View source for Alfred Sant

{{Short description|Maltese writer, editor, politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Alfred Sant
| honorific-suffix    = [[National Order of Merit (Malta)|KUOM]]
| image               = Alfred Sant.jpg
| office              = 11th [[Prime Minister of Malta]]
| president           = [[Ugo Mifsud Bonnici]]
| term_start          = 28 October 1996
| term_end            = 6 September 1998
| predecessor         = [[Eddie Fenech Adami]]
| successor           = [[Eddie Fenech Adami]]
| office1             = [[Labour Party (Malta)|Leader of the Labour Party]]
| deputy1             = [[George Vella]]<br>[[Charles Mangion]]
| predecessor1        = [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]]
| successor1          = [[Joseph Muscat]]
| term_start1         = 26 March 1992
| term_end1           = 6 June 2008
| office2             = [[Leader of the Opposition (Malta)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| president2          = [[Ugo Mifsud Bonnici]]
| primeminister2      = [[Eddie Fenech Adami]]<br />[[Lawrence Gonzi]]
| predecessor2        = [[Eddie Fenech Adami]]
| successor2          = [[Charles Mangion]] {{small|(Acting)}}; [[Joseph Muscat]]
| term_start2         = 6 September 1998
| term_end2           = 5 June 2008
| president3          = [[Ċensu Tabone]]<br />[[Ugo Mifsud Bonnici]]
| primeminister3      = [[Eddie Fenech Adami]]
| predecessor3        = [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]]
| successor3          = [[Eddie Fenech Adami]]
| term_start3         = 26 March 1992
| term_end3           = 28 October 1996
| office4             = [[Member of the European Parliament]]<br />for [[Malta (European Parliament constituency)|Malta]]
| term_start4         = 1 July 2014
| term_end4           = 8 June 2024
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1948|2|28|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Pietà, Malta|Pietà]], [[Crown Colony of Malta]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour]]
| education           = [[University of Malta]] {{small|([[Bachelor of Science|BSc]], [[Master of Science|MSc]])}}<br />[[École nationale d'administration]] {{small|([[Master of Public Administration|MPA]])}}<br />[[Boston University]] {{small|([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]])}}<br />[[Harvard University]] {{small|([[Doctor of Business Administration|DBA]])}}
| caption             = Sant in 2012
}}
'''Alfred Sant''', {{Post-nominals|post-noms=[[National Order of Merit (Malta)|KUOM]]}} (born 28 February 1948) is a [[Malta|Maltese]] politician and a novelist. He led the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] from 1992 to 2008 and served as [[Prime Minister of Malta]] between 1996 and 1998 and as Leader of the Opposition from 1992 to 1996 and from 1998 to 2008.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hafLHZgZtt4C&q=alfred+sant+labour+leader&pg=PA859 |title=Europe Since 1945: An Encyclopedia |page=859|isbn=9780815340584 |access-date=2016-02-16|last1=Cook |first1=Bernard A. |year=2001 |publisher=Taylor & Francis }}</ref><ref name=rudolf>[https://books.google.com/books?id=lmZwDwAAQBAJ Historical Dictionary of Malta], by Uwe Jens Rudolf, 2018</ref><ref name=OPM>[https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/Government%20of%20Malta/Prime%20Ministers%20of%20Malta/Pages/Dr-Alfred-Sant.aspx Office of the Prime Minister] - Alfred Sant</ref> 
Sant is an established writer and [[playwright]] and has published several books.<ref name=OPM/>

== Biography ==
===Studies and career ===
Sant graduated from the [[University of Malta]] as Bachelor of Science in Physics and Mathematics in 1967 and as Master of Science in [[Physics]] in the following year. He studied public administration in 1970 at the ''Institut International d'Administration Publique'' of the [[École Nationale d'Administration]] (ENA) in [[Paris]].<ref name=OPM/>

Sant served as second, and then first secretary at the Mission of [[Malta]] to the [[European Communities]] in [[Brussels]] between 1970 and 1975 when he resigned to undertake full-time studies in the USA. He completed a Master of Business Management (with honors) from [[Boston University Graduate School of Management]] in 1976 and graduated a [[Doctor of Business Administration]] from [[Harvard Business School]] in 1979.<ref name=OPM/>

Between 1977 and 1978 Sant served as advisor on general and financial management at the Ministry of Parastatal and People's Industries in 1977–1978, and then as the managing director of Medina Consulting Group in 1978–1980. Sant returned to the public sector in 1980 as executive deputy chairman with the Malta Development Corporation. As of 1982 he started working as a private consultant.<ref name=OPM/>

Sant's first political post with the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] was as chair of its Department of Information (1982–92). During this time he also served as President of the Party (1984–88) and chaired the Guze Ellul Mercer Foundation of the [[Malta Labour Party]] and the [[General Workers' Union (Malta)|General Workers' Union]].<ref name=OPM/> He served a stint as the editor of the Party weekly ''Il-Ħelsien'' (1987–88).

In 1988–89, he chaired a party working group on the relations with the [[European Community]], whose report was then published in English and Maltese. Another study by Sant, entitled "Malta's European Challenge", was published in 1995, and focused on the need for Malta to establish the best possible relations with the [[European Union]] compatible with Malta's position at the centre of the [[Mediterranean]].<ref name=OPM/>

Sant first [[1987 Maltese general election|stood for election in 1987]]; although he was unsuccessful, he was co-opted to Parliament later that year. In 1992, following the resignation of [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]], he was elected as party leader.

===Prime Minister in 1996-98===
The [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] won the [[1996 Maltese general election|October 1996 elections]] under Sant who campaigned for the removal of the [[Value Added Tax]] (VAT) that had been introduced in 1995 as an unpopular but required step towards EU accession.<ref name=rudolf/> A year after taking office, the government replaced VAT by a similar [[indirect tax]], the Customs and Excise Tax (CET). The government also froze Malta's application for EU membership, which had been submitted by the previous Nationalist government.

Sant's tenure as Prime Minister lasted only 22 months. Enjoying only a one-seat majority in Parliament, the Government was vulnerable to threats from former Prime Minister and Labour leader [[Dom Mintoff]]. Things came to a head in the summer of 1998 when a row with Mintoff over a coastal concession to a private company resulted in the Government being defeated on the motion transferring the land. Sant felt that the government's parliamentary majority was compromised and asked the President to dissolve the House. In the [[1998 Maltese general election|subsequent snap elections held in September 1998]] the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] was defeated.<ref name=rudolf/>

===2003 Referendum and election===
The Nationalist party, back in power, reactivated Malta's EU membership bid. Alfred Sant stayed on as leader of the opposition and campaigned against Malta's accession into the [[European Union]].<ref name=rudolf/>

In the run-up to [[2003 Maltese European Union membership referendum|the March 2003 referendum on EU accession]], Sant was also critical of what he called a "sham referendum" insisting that a general election alone would settle the EU membership issue. He called on Labour supporters to either vote No, abstain or invalidate their vote. He himself abstained. 
The Yes side won the referendum by 54% with over 90% turnout - but Sant claimed that this was fewer than half of all eligible voters. On the basis of this "puzzling" interpretation, both sides were claiming victory in the streets.<ref name=rudolf/> 
In view of the lack of consensus on the interpretation of the result, Prime Minister [[Eddie Fenech Adami]] asked the President to dissolve the Parliament and call for fresh elections. These were [[2003 Maltese general election|held in April 2003]] and the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] was again defeated at the polls.

Sant tendered his resignation as party leader. He did, however, stand for election for Party leader again which was contested by two other candidates for the post, [[John Attard Montalto]] and [[Angelo Farrugia]]. Sant was re-elected party leader with 66% of votes cast by Labour Party delegates and returned to lead the Party.

===2008 general election===
The [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]], spearheaded by Sant, presented a new programme ''Pjan għal bidu ġdid'' (Plan for a new beginning) and called for ''Bżonn ta' Bidla'' (The need for a Change) after the 20 years (save for his brief stint from 1996 to 1998) of [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist]] government. The electoral programme contained references to overhauls in the educational system (which proved to be extremely controversial), reduction of an electricity [[fee|surcharge]] by half, and tax breaks on overtime work. {{Citation needed|date=August 2012}}

At the [[2008 Maltese general election]] Sant was defeated for the third consecutive time, this time by [[Lawrence Gonzi]], on a slim margin of only 1,580 votes. Following the loss of the election, Sant resigned as leader of the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]] on 10 March 2008, and as Leader of the Opposition on 5 June 2008; he was succeeded as party leader by [[Joseph Muscat]] and as leader of the opposition by [[Charles Mangion]]. He retained his Parliamentary seat.

===2014 European Parliament election===
Sant announced that he would stand as a Labour Party candidate in the [[2014 European Parliament election in Malta|2014 European Parliament election]], despite his previous opposition to EU membership for Malta.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121122/local/alfred-sant-to-contest-mep-elections.446476 |title=Alfred Sant to contest MEP elections - PN reacts |website=Timesofmalta.com |date=22 November 2012 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>  He received 48,739 votes, which elected him outright, acquiring more votes than any other candidate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140526/local/first-count-votes-alfred-sant-only-candidate-elected-outright.520573 |title=First count votes - Alfred Sant only candidate elected outright |website=Timesofmalta.com |date=26 May 2014 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref> He was re-elected in 2019 but decided not to stand for re-election in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://electoral.gov.mt/ElectionResults/MEP |title = Electoral Commission of Malta}}</ref>

==Literary works and journalism==
Alfred Sant is also an established and prolific novelist, short story writer and playwright. His published works include plays, short stories, novels, and non-fiction.<ref name=rudolf/>

=== Plays ===
* ''Min Hu Evelyn Costa?'' (1979)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eWU4NAAACAAJ |title=Min hu Evelyn Costa?: u drammi ohra |author=Alfred Sant |year=1993 |publisher=PEG Publications |isbn=9789990900255 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''Fid-Dell tal-Katidral'' (1994)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/drama/1359-fid-dell-tal-katidral-u-drammi-ohra.html |title=Fid-Dell tal-Katidral u drammi ohra &#124; Drama &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''Qabel Tiftaħ l-Inkjesta'' (1999)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/drama/3009-qabel-tiftah-l-inkjesta-u-drammi-ohra.html |title=Qabel Tiftah l-Inkjesta u drammi ohra &#124; Drama &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427062300/http://www.bdlbooks.com/drama/3009-qabel-tiftah-l-inkjesta-u-drammi-ohra.html |archive-date=2016-04-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Short story collections ===
* ''Kwart ta' Mija'' (1995)<ref>{{cite book|title=Kwart ta' mija : rakkonti miġbura (Book, 1995) |date=1999-02-22 |oclc = 469363318}}</ref>
* ''Pupu fil-Baħar'' (2009)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://maltaonlinebookshop.com/product/pupu-fil-bahar/ |title=Pupu Fil-Bahar |publisher=Malta Online Bookshop |access-date=2016-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053203/http://maltaonlinebookshop.com/product/pupu-fil-bahar/ |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Novels ===
* ''L-Ewwel Weraq tal-Bajtar'' (1968)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/novels-and-romance-fiction/1357-l-ewwel-weraq-tal-bajtar.html?pop=0 |title=L-Ewwel Weraq Tal-Bajtar &#124; Novels and Romance (Fiction) &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''Bejgħ u Xiri'' (1981)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/novels-and-romance-fiction/2925-bejgh-u-xiri.html |title=Bejgħ u xiri &#124; Novels and Romance (Fiction) &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''Silġ fuq Kemmuna'' (1982)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/novels-and-romance-fiction/804-silg-fuq-kemmuna.html |title=Silġ fuq Kemmuna &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''La Bidu, La Tmiem'' (2001)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/novels-and-romance-fiction/5093-la-bidu-la-tmiem-1599.html |title=La Bidu La Tmiem 1599 &#124; Novels and Romance (Fiction) &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''L-Għalqa tal-Iskarjota'' (2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/novels-and-romance-fiction/2924-l-ghalqa-tal-iskarjota.html |title=L-Għalqa tal-Iskarjota &#124; Novels and Romance (Fiction) &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''George Bush f'Malta'' (2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdlbooks.com/novels-and-romance-fiction/4322-george-bush-f-malta.html |title=George Bush F'Malta &#124; |website=Bdlbooks.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>

=== Non-fiction works ===
* Collection of political essays, ''L-Impenn għall-Bidla'' (1986)<ref name="oocities1">{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/hollywood/Set/9827/sant.html |title=Dr. Alfred Sant |website=Oocities.org |date=1948-02-28 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Chronicle (political), ''It-28 ta' April 1958'' (1988)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.belgraviaauctions.com/www/p02.htm |title=Belgravia02 |website=Belgraviaauctions.com |access-date=2016-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111114/http://www.belgraviaauctions.com/www/p02.htm |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* ''Malta's European Challenge'' (1995)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NiNRHQAACAAJ&q=malta's+european+challenge+sant |title=Malta's European Challenge |author=Alfred Sant |year=1995 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''Confessions of a European Maltese'' (2003 autobiography)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FMvfAQAACAAJ&q=collection+of+political+essays,+l-impenn+ghal+bidla+sant |title=Confessions of a European Maltese |author=Alfred Sant |year=1970 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* ''Is-Soċjaliżmu fi Żminijietna'' (2004)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2009-06-08/news/alfred-sant-the-author-226041/ |title=Alfred Sant: The Author - The Malta Independent |website=Independent.com.mt |date=2009-06-08 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>

=== Other writings ===
Sant edited ''Tomorrow'', a monthly English-language magazine (1982–1985), and of ''Society'', a quarterly opinion magazine, apart from authoring numerous articles. Sant also contributed regularly to the [[General Workers' Union (Malta)|General Workers' Union]]'s Sunday Maltese-language newspaper ''It-Torċa'' until March 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-03-11/news/sants-political-career-comes-to-an-end-after-26-years-204922/ |title=Sant's Political career comes to an end after 26 years - The Malta Independent |website=Independent.com.mt |date=2008-03-11 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref><ref name="oocities1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alfredsant.eu/about |title=Alfred Sant &#124; About |website=Alfredsant.eu |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://collegessurvival.com/alfred-sant-literary-works-and-journalism/ |title=Alfred Sant – Literary works and journalism |publisher=Colleges Survival |date=2015-08-08 |access-date=2016-02-16 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131021910/http://collegessurvival.com/alfred-sant-literary-works-and-journalism/ |archive-date=2016-01-31 }}</ref>

==Honours==
===National honours===
* {{Flag|Malta}} : Companion of Honour of the [[National Order of Merit (Malta)|National Order of Merit]] (1996) ''by right as a Prime Minister of Malta''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://opm.gov.mt/en/Documents/Past%20recipients%20of%20honours%20or%20awards.pdf |title=PAST RECIPIENTS OF MALTESE HONOURS AND AWARDS AND DATE OF CONFERMENT : THE NATIONAL ORDER OF MERIT |website=Opm.gov.mt |access-date=2016-02-16 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304135023/https://opm.gov.mt/en/Documents/Past%20recipients%20of%20honours%20or%20awards.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Prime Minister of Malta]]
*[[List of prime ministers of Malta]]
*[[Frans Sammut]] (2008): ''Alfred Sant: Il-Vizjoni ghall-Bidla''

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*{{URL|www.alfredsant.eu}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]]|years=1992–2008}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Joseph Muscat]]}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Eddie Fenech Adami]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Prime Minister of Malta]]|years=1996–1998}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Eddie Fenech Adami]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{MaltesePMs}}
{{Current EP Malta}}{{EP Political Group S&D}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sant, Alfred}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:University of Malta alumni]]
[[Category:Boston University School of Management alumni]]
[[Category:Companions of Honour of the National Order of Merit (Malta)]]
[[Category:École nationale d'administration alumni]]
[[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]]
[[Category:Labour Party (Malta) politicians]]
[[Category:Leaders of political parties in Malta]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Maltese male novelists]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives of Malta]]
[[Category:MEPs for Malta 2014–2019]]
[[Category:MEPs for Malta 2019–2024]]
[[Category:People from Pietà, Malta]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of Malta]]
[[Category:20th-century Maltese politicians]]
[[Category:Leaders of the opposition (Malta)]]
[[Category:20th-century Maltese novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century Maltese novelists]]
[[Category:Maltese dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Maltese short story writers]]
[[Category:English-language Maltese writers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the National Book Prize]]