{{short description|Political party in Malta}} {{Infobox political party | name = AD+PD | logo = AD+PD logo.svg | colorcode = {{Political party data|color}} | colours = {{ubl|{{color box|#FFE600|border=darkgray}} Yellow|{{color box|{{Political party data|color}}|border=darkgray}} Green|{{color box|#FF7332|border=darkgray}} Orange}} | founders = {{ubl|Timothy Alden|Carmel Cacopardo}} | foundation = {{start date|2020|10|17|df=y}} | leader1_title = Chairperson | leader1_name = Sandra Gauci | leader2_title = Co-Deputy Chairpersons | leader2_name = {{ubl|Carmel Cacopardo|Mina Tolu}} | secretary_general = Carmel Cacopardo (acting)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellul |first1=Daniel |last2=Borg |first2=Emma |title=ADPD general secretary suspended by MCAST over relationship with student |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/adpd-secretary-general-suspended-mcast-relationship-student.1118904 |access-date=3 November 2025 |work=Times of Malta |publisher=Allied Newspapers Ltd |date=2 November 2025 |language=en-gb}}</ref> | youth_wing = Kollettiv Żgħażagħ EkoXellugin<ref name="Beacon Media Group">{{cite news |last1=Muscat |first1=Gavin |title=Approvat il-kumitat ġdid tal-fergħa taż-żgħażagħ tal-ADPD |url=https://newsbook.com.mt/approvat-il-kumitat-gdid-tal-fergha-taz-zghazagh-tal-adpd/ |access-date=27 October 2023 |work=Newsbook |publisher=Beacon Media Group |date=30 August 2023}}</ref> | merger = {{ubl|Democratic Alternative|Democratic Party}} | ideology = {{ubl|Green politics|Progressivism}} | position = Centre-left | governing_body = Executive Committee | think_tank = Fondazzjoni Ceratonia<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dalli |first1=Miriam |title=AD think-tank makes case on green jobs, volunteering for sustainable development |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/13435/ad-think-tank-makes-case-on-green-jobs-volunteering-for-sustainable-development |access-date=14 September 2025 |work=MaltaToday |publisher=MediaToday Co. Ltd. |date=29 October 2011 |language=en}}</ref> | european = European Green Party | international = Global Greens <!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104001229 --> | seats1_title = House of Representatives | seats1 = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}} | seats2_title = European Parliament | seats2 = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|EP}} | seats3_title = Mayors of Localities | seats3 = {{Composition bar|0|68|{{Political party data|color}}}} | seats4 = {{Composition bar|1|462|{{Political party data|color}}}}{{efn|name=Cassar|Ralph Cassar sits on the Attard local council but is temporarily suspended from the party.}} | seats4_title = Local Council Seats | website = {{Political party data|website}} | country = Malta }} {{Politics of Malta}}
'''AD+PD'''{{efn|{{lang|mt|Alternattiva Demokratika+Partit Demokratiku|italic=unset}} (Democratic Alternative+Democratic Party)}}, also written as '''ADPD''' and sometimes referred to as '''ADPD – The Green Party''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=|first= |date=2024-07-17 |title=ADPD says Auditor General's report confirms lack of planning by Enemalta |url=https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/adpd-says-auditor-generals-report-confirms-lack-of-planning-by-enemalta/ |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=TVM+ |language=en-GB |quote=During a press conference in front of the Ministry for the Environment and Energy, the spokespersons for '''''ADPD – The Green Party''''', said that the Auditor General’s report about the energy distribution system which they have been asking for since 2023, confirms the lack of long-term planning in a modern electricity system.}}</ref> is a green and progressive political party in Malta.<ref name="merger approved mtg" /><ref name="times formally merged">{{cite news|date=17 October 2020|title=AD+PD formalised as small parties merge|language=en-gb|work=Times of Malta|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/adpd-formalised-as-small-parties-merge.825421|access-date=29 October 2020}}</ref> The party was founded on 17 October 2020 by a merger of the two most prominent third parties in Malta, the green Democratic Alternative (AD) and the social liberal Democratic Party (PD).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sansone|first=Kurt|date=16 October 2020|title=AD+PD is new name for merger between Alternattiva and Partit Demokratiku|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/105342/adpd_is_new_name_for_merger_between_alternattiva_and_partit_demokratiku|access-date=17 October 2020|website=Malta Today|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=17 October 2020|title=AD+PD formalised as small parties merge|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/adpd-formalised-as-small-parties-merge.825421|access-date=17 October 2020|website=Times of Malta|language=en-gb}}</ref>
== History == Talks of unification started in September 2019 by the leaders of both parties and were announced in December 2019, when both parties met up next to the memorial of Karin Grech in San Ġwann. "I had long argued for the consolidation of third party politics into the new movement the country needs" stated Timothy Alden, then leader of PD. AD Chairman Carmel Cacopardo had stated that both parties had agreed on broad strokes in principle and were working together to move forward with the movement.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PD and AD prepare to join forces for next general election|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/pd-and-ad-prepare-to-join-forces-for-next-general-election.759921|access-date=18 October 2020|website=Times of Malta|date=28 December 2019 |language=en-gb}}</ref>
In a joint article published in ''The Malta Independent'', Timothy Alden and Carmel Cacopardo stated that AD and PD had developed on the basis of dissent against power; both parties having been formed as acts of rebellion against injustices in the Labour Party. They stated that they shared a determination to address important issues which others conveniently try to ignore, and that over the years it had been AD and PD who had been at the forefront of the struggle for a better environment, good governance, transparency and accountability.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dynamics of the AD/PD merger: one step at a time - The Malta Independent|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2020-08-02/newspaper-opinions/Dynamics-of-the-AD-PD-merger-one-step-at-a-time-6736225720|access-date=2020-11-02|website=www.independent.com.mt}}</ref>
The party was officially announced as "AD+PD" on the 1 August 2020 when both parties met and signed an agreement to begin the merger process.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Malta's small parties to merge|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/maltas-small-parties-to-merge.808962|access-date=2020-10-18|website=Times of Malta|date=August 2020 |language=en-gb}}</ref> From then on both parties promised to function as a single entity with a transition team. On 17 October 2020, both parties merged into a single party under a transitional executive, in preparation for the first annual general meeting to be held in May 2021.<ref name="merger approved mtg">{{cite news |title=Il-Kumitat AD+PD approvat waqt il-laqgħa ġenerali annwali 17 ta' Ottubru 2020 |url=https://www.alternattiva.org.mt/il-kumitat-adpd-approvat-waqt-il-laqgha-generali-annwali-17-ta-ottubru-2020/ |access-date=29 October 2020 |work=AD+PD |date=17 October 2020 |language=mt}}</ref>
In August 2023, the party's youth wing voted to change its name from ADŻ Green Youth to Kollettiv Żgħażagħ EkoXellugin (Collective of Young EcoLeftists).<ref name="Beacon Media Group">{{cite news |last1=Muscat |first1=Gavin |title=Approvat il-kumitat ġdid tal-fergħa taż-żgħażagħ tal-ADPD |url=https://newsbook.com.mt/approvat-il-kumitat-gdid-tal-fergha-taz-zghazagh-tal-adpd/ |access-date=27 October 2023 |work=Newsbook |publisher=Beacon Media Group |date=30 August 2023}}</ref>
AD+PD elected two councillors, party leader Gauci and general secretary Ralph Cassar in the 2024 local elections in the localities of Saint Paul's Bay and Attard respectively.
On 2 November 2025, AD+PD's general secretary Ralph Cassar was suspended both from his internal post and as a councillor for AD+PD over allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellul |first1=Daniel |last2=Borg |first2=Emma |title=ADPD general secretary suspended by MCAST over relationship with student |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/adpd-secretary-general-suspended-mcast-relationship-student.1118904 |access-date=31 March 2026 |work=Times of Malta |publisher=Allied Newspapers Ltd |date=2 November 2025 |language=en-gb}}</ref>
In March 2026, Gauci announced that the party was in talks with former AD leader Arnold Cassola and his recently-formed Momentum party to join forces for the upcoming general election.<ref>{{cite news |title=ADPD, Momentum to join forces ahead of upcoming general election |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/140518/adpd_momentum_to_join_forces_ahead_of_upcoming_general_election_ |access-date=31 March 2026 |work=MaltaToday.com.mt |publisher=MediaToday Co. Ltd |date=23 March 2026 |language=en}}</ref>
== Election results == === House of Representatives === {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !Election !Leader !Votes !% !Seats !+/− !Rank !Status |- !2022 |align="left"| Carmel Cacopardo |4,747 |1.61 |{{Composition bar|0|79|{{party color|AD+PD}}}} |New |3rd |{{no|Extra-parliamentary}} |- !2026 |align="centre" |Sandra Gauci |3,996 |1.31 |{{Composition bar|0|67|{{party color|AD+PD}}}} |{{steady}} 0 |4th |{{no|Extra-parliamentary}} |}
=== European Parliament === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center |- ! Election ! Leader ! Votes ! % ! Seats ! +/− ! Rank !EP Group |- ! 2024 | Sandra Gauci | 3,109 | 1.19 | {{Composition bar|0|6|hex={{party colour|AD+PD}}}} | New | 4th | – |}
=== Local Councils === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Election ! Leader ! Votes ! % ! Seats ! +/− ! Rank |- !2024 |Sandra Gauci |2,124 |0.82 |{{Composition bar|2|471|{{party color|AD+PD}}}} |New |3rd |}
== References == {{reflist}} {{notelist}}
==External links== {{commonscatinline}} *{{Official website|https://adpd.mt/}}
{{Maltese political parties}} {{Green parties}} {{European Green Party}}
Category:Political parties in Malta Category:Green political parties in Europe Category:European Green Party Category:Political parties established in 2020 Category:2020 establishments in Malta Category:Progressive parties Category:Global Greens member parties