The Maltese government has clashed with the Council of Europe by shortlisting three male judges for European Court nominations even though the Council said one must be a woman.
Member states of the Council, a pan-European organisation that aims to protect human rights, nominate three people, one of whom is chosen to sit at the European Court.
Malta's present judge, a man, just turned 70 and will retire.
Last month a legal affairs committee of the Council of Europe proposed that one-gender short lists may be accepted in exceptional circumstances, but an Equal Opportunities Committee rejected the proposal.
Source: Daily MailOut of the rucksack perhaps ... but it is interesting how Malta makes the news amid current world events?
'Valetta'
Original photograph by Matthew James
