The island has a thriving economy based largely on tourism, online gaming and financial services, and many voters say its economic performance trumps all other concerns. “We were poor and under Labour we are rich!” said 72-year-old Conny Pace, proudly wearing a sequined hat in Labour’s red. Construction boom Malta has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the EU. The population has grown nearly 30 percent over a decade, driven largely by foreigners, which in turn has fuelled a construction boom, filling the skyline
with cranes, creating traffic bottlenecks, and putting a strain on key services. Heritage groups have denounced environmental degradation and risks to UNESCO world heritage sites in the former British colony. But in a country that imports nearly all its energy, bills are the hottest campaign topic. The government says it has earmarked an extra 250 million euros ($290 million) for subsidies as a cushion against fallout from the Middle East conflict, on top of the 150 million euros already budgeted for 2026. The country, which
has few natural resources, is on the front line of climate change and at risk of desertification and drought, but neither main party has made the issue its priority. Read moreEU to unlock 16 billion euros for Hungary as Magyar pushes ahead with post-Orban reforms There is a green party, the ADPD, but no third party has held even a seat in Malta’s parliament since before independence in 1964. The latest poll by the Malta Independent put Labour comfortably ahead at 49 percent of the
vote, to the PN’s 38 percent. Shopkeeper Melanie Cremona, 49, said Borg is “young, has a lot of energy, a fresh mind”. But taxi driver Mariella Jeremic, who has four children, told AFP most people will vote Labour, “not with our hearts, but for the economy, for stability”. According to a 2025 Council of Europe report, Malta remains significantly behind in the fight against corruption, but many locals were unwilling to comment publicly on the issue. Abela has led Malta since January 2020, when his
predecessor Joseph Muscat quit following a political crisis over the assassination in 2017 of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Political analyst Andrew Azzopardi from the University of Malta said Abela had likely called a snap vote to hold the election before the upcoming trial of businessman Yorgen Fenech, charged with orchestrating the murder. Read moreNew EU rules aim to ease cross-border European train travel Caruana Galizia exposed corruption at the highest level in the country, shining a spotlight on murky links between Malta’s business and
political elite. A 2021 public inquiry found the state “should bear responsibility” for her death, saying it had created a “climate of impunity”. Muscat and other top officials were charged last year in a separate hospital privatisation scandal, though they reject the allegations and Abela has also raised doubts over the investigation. Azzopardi said many locals would think of their wallets and vote Labour despite the scandals, for “there’s corruption, but I get another 50 euros a week in my pension”. Preliminary results are expected
on Sunday afternoon. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Malta parliamentary elections, Labour Party, PN, Robert Abela, corruption, Daphne Caruana Galizia, Yorgen Fenech, energy subsidies, UNESCO world heritage, ADPD, tourism, online gaming, financial services