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Norman Lowell (born July 29, 1946) is the founder and leader of Imperium Europa, a Maltese movement promoting an amalgamation of sociopolitical ideas, mainly, Pan-europeanism, Libertarianism, Nationalism, and Environmentalism.

Recent years

In 2002, Lowell was banned from the Maltese media following some of his extremely racist comments on public television. Despite this, Norman Lowell has gathered an ever increasing number of adherents, partly because of his charisma, eccentric sense of humour and readiness to challenge local authority, but also due to his exploitation of the increasing tensions caused on the island by seemingly unsustainable numbers of illegal immigrants.

Norman Lowell contested the first European Parliament elections that were held in Malta on June 12 2004, obtaining a highly unexpected 1,603 first-count votes and thousands of second-count votes.

Contentious issues

Despite being accused of being a racist numerous times, Lowell insists that he is actually a racialist and has stressed that he has nothing against minorities. He is against unrestricted migration to Western countries, especially countries such as Malta with its population of less than half a million.

Several lawsuits were filed following speeches he has made. Two charges of incitement of racial hatred are currently being settled in Malta's law courts. The first case concerns an article written for MaltaFly, in which several highly pejorative words, such as “lackey”, “mass-murderer”, “vermin” and “pest” were used to describe Jewish People. The second case deals with a public meeting organised by Lowell on 22 January 2005 in Safi, following a case in which illegal immigrants were involved in violent clashes with the armed forces after the former had organised a pacific protest and the army had to resort to the use of force after negotiations failed. After several meetings he has organised turned out to be somewhat of a success (judging by the standards of a newly-born political movement) Norman Lowell is trying to set out a more encompassing, moderate image for his party. Their stated aim is to be involved not just in the immigration issue which started them off, but in all aspects of Maltese political life. Norman Lowell was arrested on Saturday 27th May 2006 for speaking in public in favour of rascism and insulting the Maltese president Edward Fenech Adami. Norman Lowell was later on released on bail on a personal guarantee of 5,000 Maltese Liri.

Malta in the future

If ever in power, Norman Lowell claims that all buildings post-dating 1800 will be razed to the ground. Exceptions for historical buildings of great value will be made, post dating 1800 by a few years. Valleta, Mdina, and the Three Cities will stand within sight of each other, countryside all around. An Arcology will be built right in the center of Malta, where Mosta stands presently. No vehicles will be allowed to pollute the island; an underground railway system will be the main means of transportation.

Norman Lowell's main focus is undoubtedly the illegal immigration issue, but this often clouds other more important issues he speaks about. Norman Lowell calls for the creation of a National Unity Government, to rise above the pettiness of partisanism. He calls for a more rational, planned approach to building. It doesn't make sense, he says, to have an Industrial Estate (of all things) built facing on one of Malta's most picturesque areas. He also derides the government's inability to tackle the serious cultural and educational problems Malta's society is facing, whilst chasing after economic ghosts.

Other priorities

• A dynamic foreign policy
• A National Unity Government drawn from the best of the Army, Police, civil service, university, world of industry and commerce.
• 10% flat rate VAT and abolition of income tax.
• Energy Island off Maghtab. Solar energy, wind and waves.
• Turning Malta into the Spiritual focal point of Europe.
• Niche farming of exotic fruits and herbs.
• A total reorientation of present, mercantile values.

Trivia

• Norman Lowell is an artist in his own abstract style, Dionysian Action Painting.
• Is also an author and a qualified banker.
• A martial-arts expert, he is the founder of Ch'uan Shu in Malta.
• Generally refers to Malta as "The sacred island of Melita".
• Is a Holocaust Revisionist.
• Salutes his supporters with "Ave", Latin for "Hail".
• Resides in Attard, Malta.
• Usually carries a walking stick which has a sword inside.
• In 2003, he wrote a letter to Dr. Fenech Adami, then Prime Minister of Malta, predicting that the referendum determining Malta's entry in the European Union was going to be lost.
• Impetuously predicted (in 2000) that the country was bankrupt
• He is famous for concluding statements with the words: "Qed tifhem?" ("Get it?")
• The Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Green Party recently "Declared War" on Norman Lowell.
• Refers to the Malta drydocks as "tal-patchwik" - stating that the English Navy built them as a first-stop repair center for their ships, and not as fully fledged dockyards.

Quotes

• "Our Prime Minister's vision is to build two golf courses. Of all things, he wants golf courses! Can you be more pathetic than that?"

• "This is not a warning to the Prime Minister, this is a statement of fact. If Dr. Gonzi dares to alter the Opera House into a Parliament, it will be the last miserable act of his miserable government!"

• "I can do 2 years standing on my head!" (when asked about the possibility of being sent to two years in prison for inciting racial hatred)

• "In our vision of Imperium Europa, people will work less, till we come to ten hours a week. With today's technology we don't need to work more than ten hours a week"

• "The enemy is not only at the gates. The enemy is manning the gates!"

• "America, Britain, France! They are not land powers, they are sea powers! In fact, whenever the Americans attack on land, they get their ass kicked!"

• "What we need is a unifying idea! An idea so strong, that it will draw like a magnet all the forces!"

• "We are not the collectivist sheep of the left. We are: The Radical Racialist Right Revolutionary Reactionaries!"

• "E una battaglia di cultura prima di tutto!" ("It is a cultural battle more than anything else")

• "Ja mnejjek min sorm ommok!"

External links

• Imperium Europa — Official Website of Imperium Europa.
• Vivamalta.org — Maltese nationalist/patriotic site affiliated with Norman Lowell's Imperium Europa.
• Maltafly — Maltese politico-satirical site with various Norman Lowell interviews available for download.
• Credo — "Credo, a book for the very few" written by Norman Lowell.
• Fenech, Gerald (Jul. 03, 2005). Norman Lowell in court on inciting racism. The Malta Independent.

• 1946 births
• Living people
• Maltese politicians
• Libertarians