Beyond the Ballot: Why We Must Democratise Our Economy
We often take pride in our democratic government, a system where everyone supposedly has a say and policies are intended for the common good. However, political democracy is only half the battle. To truly thrive, we must extend these same principles to our financial systems. As Noam Chomsky famously argued, there can be no real political democracy without something approaching economic democracy, a principle that echoes ideas long present in earlier political thought, including that of Theodore Roosevelt. The Concentration of Wealth Our current economic model frequently treats the community as a passive consumer to be "bled dry" for the [...]
YECN Marks Its Official Formalisation in Portugal
The Voice of Youth in the Cooperative Movement It is a truth universally acknowledged that young people are the world’s future. Yet a crucial question remains: How can the next generation influence decisions that affect them today, when society expects them to “wait for experience”? Young people already have a voice—and the Young European Cooperators Network (YECN) exists to ensure that voice is heard. The YECN unites young cooperators across Europe, creating opportunities for learning, participation, and the promotion of cooperation as a democratic and sustainable economic model. A Historic Milestone: The Formalisation of the YECN This month, the [...]
MCF presents Budget Proposals for 2026
Unlocking the Potential The Malta Co-operative Federation (MCF) has submitted a forward-looking set of proposals for inclusion in Malta’s Budget for 2026, outlining pragmatic, low-cost measures to strengthen the co-operative sector as a key driver of inclusive growth, community resilience, and social innovation. The proposals, developed in consultation with the Local Councils’ Association and aligned with national priorities under Malta’s Vision 2050, focus on four core areas: Co-operative finance and regulation Public procurement and asset reuse Community services and housing Employment and social inclusion Together, these recommendations set out a practical roadmap for a more equitable, sustainable, and [...]
Women’s Day 2025 – Cooperatives: A Driving Force for Gender Equality
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate the achievements of women in cooperatives and reaffirm our collective commitment to gender equality. This year’s theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Equality. Rights. Empowerment,” holds special significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, a landmark commitment to advancing gender equality worldwide. It is also an important moment to recognise the essential contributions of women to the cooperative movement—both historically and today. Cooperatives have long been a platform for women’s empowerment, providing economic opportunities, fostering leadership, and promoting democratic participation. Since their inception, cooperatives have embraced the values [...]
IDC 2017 – Coops Ensure No One Is Left Behind
Today co-operators world-wide celebrate the United Nations International Day of Co-operatives. International Day aims to increase awareness about the co-operative model and to promote the movement's ideals, values and principles of international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, democracy and world peace. This year’s theme and slogan are “Inclusion” and “Co-operatives ensure no one is left behind”. The International Cooperative Alliance's President, Monique F. Leroux, addresses the International Day of Co-operatives and its 2017 theme: inclusiveness.
MCF presents its proposals for Electoral Manifestos 2017
Browse the Full Document in Maltese below. Click here to read the Proposals in English. Download document: Proposti Manifesti Elettorali 2017 MCF Worker Co-operatives New measures are to be introduced to encourage government employees at all levels to setup worker co-operatives. Employees will have the opportunity of advancing in their career while becoming owners of their own workplace. This measure would be an alternative measure to the current privatization model of government operations. New measures are also to be introduced to assist and encourage employees to setup worker co-operatives in the private sector, in cases when employers decide to abandon their [...]