Imperium Europa is an ultranationalist political party in Malta. It was founded on 9 February 2000 by Norman Lowell, who is also its leader. Its primary aim is to unite Europe into one political entity, a "Europe of regions and peoples, stretching from the Channel, to Vladivostok, in order to save the white race.
Imperium Europa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Norman Lowell |
| General Secretary | Artlette Baldacchino |
| Founder | Norman Lowell |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Registered | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Valletta |
| Ideology | Right-Libertarianism Ultranationalism Euroscepticism |
| Political position | Right-wing to Far-right |
| Religion | Primarily Cosmotheism with elements of modern paganism, esoterism and mysticism |
| Colours |
|
| Slogan | Ave Europa nostra vera patria |
| Anthem | Ave Europa |
History
editIt was officially founded on February 9, 2000, by Norman Lowell. Initially, the party started with eight members, including Norman Lowell and Arlette Baldacchino. But later on, five out of eight of the founding members were expelled due to being sleeper agents for the Nationalist, and the Labour Parties respectively. Imperium Europa contested its first election back in 2004, obtaining 1,603 votes (0.63%). In 22nd January 2005, Imperium Europa made its first and one of, if not, the most notable public event associated with the party, taking place in Safi, Malta. The event was when most of the public started taking notice of Imperium Europa. The speech consisted of Norman Lowell making a speech regarding how illegal immigration will irriversibly damage the country, as happened with other European and Western countries. With Norman Lowell quoting that "our children shall open their eyes one day.. being strangers in their own lands!". In the 2009 European Parliament election in Malta, its candidates were Norman Lowell and Reuben Cauchi. In the next election, Imperium Europa contested with three candidates, who were: Norman Lowell, Antoine Galea and Arlette Baldacchino. It was registered as a political party in 2019.[2] In the 2019 Maltese MEP elections, Imperium Europa got its record number of votes, totalling 8,238 1st preference votes (3.17%). Lowell was the only candidate representing Imperium Europa in this election. In 2024, Imperium Europa contested in Malta with Norman Lowell and Terrence Portelli on the ballot, shrinking its votes compared to the previous elections for the first time; this time obtaining 6,816 votes (2.62%), 1,422 votes less than the election before.
Norman Lowell
editNorman Lowell is the party's founder and leader, having led the party continuously since its inception on February 9, 2000. He was the sole candidate in the first European Parliament elections that were held in Malta on 12 June 2004. He obtained 1,603 first-count votes from a total of 250,691 votes cast (0.64%). In the 2009 European Parliament elections, Lowell obtained 3,359 first-count votes (a 122% increase over the 2009 MEP elections).[3] Mr. Lowell ran again in 2014 and got 7,000 votes, more than double the 2009 MEP result. In 2019, he received his best electoral result of 8,238 votes, as the only candidate representing Imperium Europa in the election. In the 2024 Maltese MEP elections he only obtained 6,669 votes,[4] with the other 147 votes for Imperium Europa going to Terrence Portelli.
Campaigning strongly against illegal immigrants, Lowell was the party's sole candidate in the March 2008 parliamentary election, contesting both the 11th and 12th Districts. He obtained 84 votes on first count from both districts, obtaining 0.03% of the overall votes.
Ideology
editImperium Europa is positioned on the Right wing to the far-right[5][6][7] on the political spectrum and it has been frequently described as a neo-Nazi,[8] neo-fascist,[9][10] right-wing populist,[11] radical right,[12] and white nationalist party.[1][13] As stated in its program, its goal is to unite all European natives under one flag, hence the name "Imperium Europa", leading to "a Europid bond forged through spirituality (cosmotheism, not Christianity) closely followed by race, nurtured through high culture, protected by high politics, enforced by the elite."[14] Imperium Europa is also opposed to immigration.[15] Imperium Europa has connections with the French Nouvelle Droite.[16] and also with the Italian party Lega Lombarda. Its leader, Lowell, has expressed sympathy for Adolf Hitler.[17][18] and the former United States presidential candidate Ron Paul.
Party programmes
editProposal for institutional reform
editThe party advocates a temporary national unity government, a dual system of elitist and democratic elements in order to protect the elite minority whilst simultaneously allowing democratic freedom. This would occur by having the populace democratically elect a President, who would select experts from every field to form a technocratic Cabinet, similar to that formed by Lamberto Dini in Italy in 1995.[19]
Concurrently, there would still be the current Parliament, informing the nation of the cabinet's policies while simultaneously gathering feedback. After four years, a referendum would be held to determine whether the people want this system or go back to the parliamentary representative democratic system. If the former is chosen, the President and technocrats would carry on for another five years, while the parliamentarians would be dismissed with an attractive pension in return.[19]
Other priorities
edit- 10% flat rate VAT and abolition of income tax.
- Implementation of a dynamic foreign policy, prioitising national neutrality and ethnic interests first.
- A more rational, planned approach to the construction industry, preferably by demolishing modern buildings to return the national scenery as it was 150 years ago or more.
- Abolition of victimless crimes.
- Building an artificial island which would be used to generate energy and simultaneously serves as a landfill.
- Free access to in vitro fertilisation.
- Civil liberties: freedom of speech, and freedom of association are given very high importance, as a core concept of the party lies int acceptance of individual rights, as long as those rights do not impose on others unwillingly.
- Gun rights, advocating for a regulated system where all firearms can be carried; both for open carry and/or concealed carry.
- A massive reduction in the welfare state, stating that it is unfair for the taxpayer to be treated as a 'cash cow' for the ills of social economics.
- A financial grant of €10,000 for every child given birth a family gets.
- Privatisation of state departments, such as privatisation of hospitals.
- More research given to develop a semiconductors industry in Malta and/or the EU to become more self-sufficient in technological advancements in the future.
- Dissolution of the European Green Deal as Imperium Europa finds that such restrictions on businesses are harming the EU and making it uncompetitive in the world stage.
- Commencement of works in regards to access natural resources, most notably the oil and gas reserves found around the archipelago.
- A creation of a new currency, that is backed by gold and other rare precious metals in order to make inflation a thing of the past.
- Promotes a system of direct democracy where members of a particular locality attend town hall meetings in order to make a decision taken for the respective locality via referendum.
- The party advocates for the official recognition of Palestine, in opposition to Israel.
- Allowing abortion, only if severe prenatal disabilities are detected, cases of rape, or if the mother is in a life or death situation. All decisions are finally taken by the mother, given professional opinion and advice.
Political Ativities
editPublic events
editImperium Europa primarily organises three activities/events, all once annually. These are: the 9th February party founding anniversary, the celebration of Lowell's birthday, taking place in the 29th July, and the commemoration of the Maltese and the Knights Hospitaller forces, obtaining a decisive victory in the Great Siege of Malta, occurring in 1565, with a wreath of flowers placed in front of the Great Siege Monument in Valletta. This activity occurs in Otto Settembre.
Media outreach
editThe party also uploads political and party related content on its two YouTube channels; named Maltastory and VoiceofTheNewRight respectively. Party conferences and notices are also uploaded on Norman Lowell's Facebook page.
Election results
editHouse of Representatives
edit| Election (Elezzjoni) | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Norman Lowell | 84 | 0.03 | 0 / 69
|
New | 5th | extra-parliamentary |
European Parliament
edit| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Rank | EP Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Norman Lowell | 1,603 | 0.65 | 0 / 5
|
New |  4th
|
– |
| 2009 | 3,637 | 1.47 | 0 / 6
|
 0
|
4th
| ||
| 2014 | 6,761 | 2.62 | 0 / 6
|
0
|
4th
| ||
| 2019 | 8,238 | 3.17 | 0 / 6
|
0
|
3rd
| ||
| 2024 | 6,816 | 2.62 | 0 / 6
|
0
|
3rd
|
References
edit- ^ a b Malta: White Leader Decries "Betrayal of Our Beloved Island" Archived 12 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine National Vanguard 17 June 2004.
- ^ "Imperium Europa officially becomes political party, leader Norman Lowell to run for MEP - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ http://doi-archived.gov.mt/EN/elections/2009/EU_Parlelections/eu_parl1.asp.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "https://electoral.gov.mt/ElectionResults/MEP?year=260&v=null".
{{cite web}}: External link in|title=|url=(help) - ^ "Far-right group leader sues weekly for libel". Times of Malta. November 2006. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Norman Lowell to contest election". Times of Malta. 11 February 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Harwood, Mark (2005), Lodge, Juliet (ed.), "Malta", The 2004 Elections to the European Parliament, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 187–193, doi:10.1057/9780230523821_22, ISBN 978-1-4039-3518-2, retrieved 11 January 2023
- ^ "Elections européennes 2009 : poupée brune et vague populiste". Paperblog (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Schmitt, Hermann; Teperoglou, Eftichia (3 July 2015). "The 2014 European Parliament Elections in Southern Europe: Second-Order or Critical Elections?". South European Society and Politics. 20 (3): 287–309. doi:10.1080/13608746.2015.1078271. ISSN 1360-8746. S2CID 154854512.
- ^ Lorenzo De Sio, Vincenzo Emanuele, Nicola Maggini (2014). Malta : hidden change?. Roma: CISE – Centro Italiano Studi Elettorali. ISBN 978-88-98012-15-2. OCLC 938598181.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Leusch, Caroline (7 October 2019). "Maltese exceptionalism in the populist trend". MaRBLe. 1. doi:10.26481/marble.2019.v1.752. ISSN 2468-0311.
- ^ Political handbook of the world 2012. Tom Lansford. Los Angeles: Sage. 2012. p. 914. ISBN 978-1-4522-3434-2. OCLC 794595888.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Radical–Racialist–Right–Revolutionary-Reactionaries! Archived 11 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine National Vanguard 11 February 2004.
- ^ Atkins, Stephen E. (2009). Holocaust denial as an international movement. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-313-34539-5. OCLC 624337327.
- ^ Routledge handbook of European elections. Donatella M. Viola. London. 2016. ISBN 978-1-317-50363-7. OCLC 918941246.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Bar-On, Tamir (1 January 2012). "The French New Right's Quest for Alternative Modernity". Fascism. 1 (1): 21. doi:10.1163/221162512X631198. ISSN 2211-6249.
- ^ "Police question Lowell's adherents on arson attack". Malta Today. 26 March 2006. Archived from the original on 22 April 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ Hockenos, Paul (9 May 2019). "Is There a Secret Recipe for Preventing Far-Right Populism?". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
- ^ a b Norman Lowell Uncut (4) Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Maltafly.com.