Cyrus Engerer
Cyrus Engerer is a Maltese politician, known for his public stands on Civil Rights and Malta's National Identity. He is the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the European Union and also a candidate for the 2019 European Parliament Election on behalf of the Labour Party.
Early life and career
Engerer read an Honours Degree in European Studies and Communications at the Institute for European Studies within the University of Malta with his dissertation entitled "The Role of the European Parliament: Developments, the Constitution and Future Prospects".After successfully graduating from his first degree, Engerer was awarded a scholarship and obtained a Masters in European Politics from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium with his dissertation ‘Malta Europeanised: Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns’.
Engerer's area of expertise is EU Funding, where he has acted as an EU-Funds advisor to various Ministries, Local Councils and NGOs. Following his graduation Engerer commenced his professional career as a Projects Manager on EU-funded projects at the Planning and Priorities Coordination Division within the Office of the Prime Minister. He later joined the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee as EU Policy Information Advisor and Media Coordinator. In 2013, Engerer joined the Private Secretariat of the Parliamentary Secretary for the 2017 EU Presidency and EU Funding, Dr. Ian Borg. In 2014, he was appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the European Union.
Political career
In a highly polarised society, Engerer was raised in a politically mixed environment with his father being a traditional Nationalist supporter from Sliema, while his mother from Valletta was an activist in the Labour Party, with her family being ardent Mintoff supporters.EU Accession Referendum
Engerer's first involvement in Maltese politics was related to Malta's accession to the European Union. Convinced that membership augmented Malta's opportunities for growth, he joined the Moviment IVA Malta fl-Ewropa and campaigned for Malta's full membership during the accession referendum in 2003.Nationalist Party
Engerer joined the conservative Nationalist Party in 2003. His decision was prompted by the party's stand on EU membership which materialised on May 1, 2004.His highest involvement came in 2009 when he successfully contested the Sliema Local Council elections, placing third among ten candidates. Within the Council he was given the remit on EU Affairs, EU Funding, Youths and Sport. In 2010 Engerer was appointed Deputy Mayor of Sliema.
Engerer frequently criticised the Nationalist Party's conservative positions, especially on issues related to Civil Rights and Liberties, while he also regularly questioned his party's democratic credentials. During the last PN General Council he attended, Engerer went as far as hinting that Nationalist Party was cut off from society's realities.
Divorce Referendum
During the referendum campaign for the introduction of Divorce legislation in Malta in 2011, Engerer joined the Yes Movement Iva Għad-Divorzju, Iva Għaż-Żwieġ and was also the leading spokesperson for the Stand Up campaign.The long referendum campaign not only brought the progressive voices together but also led the country's conservative forces to hold a joint campaign against divorce. Notwithstanding the religious pressure that was exerted by the Catholic Church on the Maltese population, which has a huge Catholic majority, the outcome was still a successful one for the Yes campaign winning 52.67% of votes.
Despite the electorate's clear vote, Prime Minister Dr. Lawrence Gonzi stated he would vote ‘no’ in parliament, against the will of the majority. The statement spurred Engerer to declare he would resign from the party's structures, if its leader and Prime Minister did vote against the will of the Maltese. In a statement Engerer declared:
Gonzi ultimately voted against rectifying the Referendum which led Engerer to resign from the Nationalist Party on July 15, 2011 and join the progressive Labour Party led by Joseph Muscat, who had personally campaigned for the introduction of divorce legislation and other civil liberties.
Labour Party
Engerer joined and became highly involved in the Labour Party. In July 2011, he became a board member of the party's think-tank Fondazzjoni IDEAT and one of its delegates to the party. He also formed part of LGBT Labour. Within the party, Engerer also spearheaded the fight for Civil Rights. His involvement was particularly prominent in the 2013 Labour Party campaign for the General Elections, where he worked hard to encourage former Nationalist voters to vote Labour. Labour won with a 54.83% majority.Following her appointment as Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, Dr. Helena Dalli appointed Engerer as Chairperson of the Consultative Council for LGBT rights, with the initial task being to provide government with a Bill on Civil Unions as well as a Gender Identity Act. The Civil Union Act was presented to the Minister at the end of June while the Gender Identity Act was presented at the beginning of August 2013. Both laws are expected to pass through all stages of parliament by the end of 2013.
On 8 June 2013, Engerer announced that he would be contesting the 2014 MEP Elections. He submitted his nomination to Labour Party for the elections on 5 August 2013, being nominated by Minister Evarist Bartolo, Minister Helena Dalli, Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg, Member of Parliament Deborah Schembri and Gozo Labour Party spokesperson Ġuża Cassar. Along with seven others, he was approved as a candidate by the party, on 21 August 2013.
Engerer's campaign was launched in Valletta on 27 October 2013. Engerer believed that a Member of the European Parliament should always seek his country's national interest first and foremost and hence, his campaign was called Malta l-Ewwel. Eventually, Engerer did not contest the elections.
Criminal Conviction
In the week following his switch to Labour Party, Engerer and members of his family were faced with multiple charges opened against them by the Police of Malta. Such charges included circulating pornographic pictures of his former boyfriend. Although government denied that any of the charges were politically motivated, a number of opinion-makers frowned upon this version and alleged that this was pure character-assassination of an opponent of the governing party. This version of events relied on the fact that internal Police and Court of Justice documents were leaked to the media before Engerer himself was informed of the charges by the Police. An internal Police inquiry later confirmed that the timing of the initiation of court proceedings was politically motivated but that the charges themselves pre-dated Engerer's political switch.On 31 May 2013, the Court of Justice presided by Magistrate Audrey Demicoli acquitted Engerer from all charges. However, he was sentenced to a two-year jail term suspended for two years on 8 May 2014. The decision was handed down by Mr Justice Michael Mallia in a 17-page appeals court judgment.
The following day, Engerer announced that he had backed out of the European Parliament Elections 2014 citing that he did not want any bad light cast on the Labour Party or on Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.