Election Victory
Malta's Labour Party (PL) has won a historic fourth consecutive term in the general election, according to preliminary results. Prime Minister Robert Abela told reporters that the outcome showed his party had "won a strong mandate."
High Voter Turnout
More than 340,000 people were eligible to vote in Saturday's election. Voter turnout reached 87.4 percent, a slight increase from the 2022 general election. Abela urged citizens to "maintain the spirit of national unity and move the country forward together."
Opposition Concedes
Charles Bonello, general secretary of the Nationalist Party (PN), conceded the election to state broadcaster TVM. Bonello said his party had still managed to reduce Labour's majority. According to the Times of Malta, Borg said: "It's not the result we wanted, but it's a very clear message. We will keep working to be a strong alternative for the country."
Snap Election
Abela, 48, called the snap election a year early, saying his government needed a fresh mandate to guide the country through the energy crisis triggered by the war in Iran. The Labour Party has governed Malta since 2013. Abela has served as Prime Minister since 2020, when his predecessor resigned following a political crisis over the 2017 assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Economic Stability
Abela campaigned on the Labour Party's economic record since 2013, promising stability during a period of uncertainty. While Malta's economy grew 4 percent last year, concerns persist about the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on tourism and inflation. The PN candidate, Borg, had criticized the country as being "in chaos," pointing to a strained health care system and power outages.
Corruption Concerns
According to a 2025 Council of Europe report, Malta remains significantly behind in the fight against corruption. The issue received limited attention during the campaign. Malta is the smallest and most densely populated country in the European Union.
