Michael Briguglio

Michael Briguglio (born March 29, 1975) is a Maltese sociologist, activist and drummer.

Michael Briguglio
Leader of Democratic Alternative
In office
2009–2013
Preceded byHarry Vassallo
Succeeded byArnold Cassola
Personal details
Born29 March 1975 (1975-03-29) (age 45)
Attard, Malta
Political partyNationalist Party (2017–present)
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Alternative (2003–17)
Alma materUniversity of Malta
PhD in Sociology
ProfessionUniversity Senior Lecturer in Sociology

Career

Briguglio has a PhD in sociology, and is a senior lecturer at the University of Malta. His main research interests are in politics, social movements, environment and social policy, and he has published widely in the academic field. He is co-founder and public relations officer of the Malta Sociological Association, a convenor of the Works in Progress Seminar Series at the University of Malta, a columnist in the Malta Independent and a board member of Research Network 25 - Social Movements of the European Sociological Association. He is also a member of international academic associations including the European Sociological Association, the International Sociological Association, the International Political Science Association, the International Association for Impact Assessment and the Political Studies Association.

Activism and politics

Briguglio commenced his activism in 1994 with Moviment Graffitti, and was active in various environmental, social and civil rights campaigns and organisations in Malta, including the successful Front Against the Rabat Golf Course (1999-2004) and the 'Yes' movement for the 2011 Maltese divorce referendum. Since 2015 he is active in environmental citizens' movement Front Harsien ODZ and was a co-founder of Civil Society Network.

Briguglio first contested elective office with Democratic Alternative (AD - The Green Party) in 2003.[1] While failing to be elected to the Maltese Parliament, he was elected to the Sliema local council.[2] In 2009 Briguglio was the only candidate for the post of party chairperson vacated by Arnold Cassola who resigned after the party's dismal result in the European Parliament election held in June that year. Briguglio was elected unanimously.[3] Briguglio was elected in Sliema Local Council in 2003, 2006, 2012 and 2013. In 2013, Briguglio became received the highest ever-number 1st preference votes of an AD candidate in general elections (741 - 10th District) and in Sliema local council elections (727, winning 8.2 per cent of votes). After the 2013 General Election Briguglio stated he wouldn't re-contest leadership. Arnold Cassola succeeded him after he was elected in the annual general meeting of the party.

In 2015 Michael Briguglio wrote about the need for a rainbow coalition for good governance in Malta. On 23 April 2017 he addressed a national demonstration against corruption together with Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil and Democratic Party leader Marlene Farrugia. He consequently declared his support for the Forza Nazzjonali PN-PD coalition in the 2017 snap general election in Malta, which Cassola's AD did not formally join, and later formally joined the Nationalist Party (he officially became a Nationalist Party local councillor in Sliema on 20 September 2017). He was a candidate for Malta's Nationalist Party at the 2019 European elections, where he obtained a total of 4,625 votes (3,134 at first count) and was not elected.[4]

Music

Briguglio is a rock drummer with Fire, which he joined in 2019 and with Norm Rejection (which he co-founded in 1994). His drumming features in various albums and EPs, most notably with Norm Rejection and Dripht. He has also played and recorded with Filletti & Friends, Peklectrick, Malta Dio Disciples and NV.

References
  1. "Alphabetical List of All Candidates, 1921 - 2008". MaltaData.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  2. "Council elections 2003 - Sliema (59)". doi-archived.gov.mt. Department of Information - Malta. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  3. "Laqgha Generali Annwali ta' AD - Chairperson gdid". Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party. 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2010-04-20.
  4. "MEP elections 2019: all the facts and figures you need to know". Times of Malta. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
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