Why the George Cross remains a point of contention on the Maltese national flag

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Maltese flag is a simple bicolour, yet it carries a heavy historical weight. Featuring a George Cross awarded for wartime bravery, the design has sparked decades of debate. Some view it as a colonial relic, while others insist it is an essential symbol of the nation's resilience against tyranny.

The national flag of Malta consists of two vertical bands, white on the hoist side and red on the fly, with a width-to-length ratio of 2 to 3. In the upper hoist corner sits the George Cross, a British decoration presented to the island in 1942. This award recognized the immense gallantry displayed by the Maltese people during World War II, a period when the archipelago served as a vital Allied base and endured heavy bombardment from German and Italian aircraft.

The inclusion of the George Cross on the flag has long been a subject of political friction. In 1975, legislation was passed allowing for the potential removal of the symbol by a simple parliamentary majority, reflecting concerns that the cross serves as a reminder of a turbulent colonial past. More recently, in 2019, the debate intensified when some voices characterized the cross as a colonial gimmick and called for its removal alongside the demolition of British-era monuments.

Conversely, defenders of the current design argue that the George Cross represents a significant honor. Proponents of keeping the emblem, such as Mario Farrugia, contend that removing it would insult the memory of those who resisted Nazism. They maintain that the cross has transcended its colonial origins to become a globally recognized symbol of Malta's identity, standing alongside the traditional eight-pointed Maltese cross, which has been associated with the island since the Hospitallers adopted it in 1126.

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