Labour wins parliamentary elections in Malta
The Partit Laburista (Labour Party) has won Saturday's general election in Malta for the fourth time in a row. Prime Minister Robert Abela had brought the election forward by a year in order to secure a new mandate in the context of the ongoing geopolitical crises. Although the EU's smallest member state recorded an economic growth rate of four percent last year, the consequences of the war in Iran and inflation have fuelled fears of an economic downturn.
Victory with a red flag
The result is a sign of growing discontent in the country, according to an analysis by the Times of Malta:
“Labour supporters have every reason to celebrate, but yesterday's result also contains a warning. The party's once formidable supermajority has been substantially reduced - and that is healthy for democracy. A shrinking majority suggests growing unease with aspects of the status quo and the direction the country is taking. As a seasoned politician, Abela would be wise not to ignore the frustration and the fact that the PN made gains in every single district. ... People voted for continuity, but the next five years may demand change.”
All talk, no action
The Malta Independent is surprised that Labour has won again:
“What are the chances that Abela will deliver on those new grand promises if he didn't manage to complete one of his five projects from 2022? ... 'The Labour party will deliver what it promises', Abela insisted. ... Talk is cheap. Abela described his manifesto as a 'contract' with society. With no hint of irony he declared that 'the public knows the worth of the party and that it delivers what it promises'. The reality is that Labour let the country down, badly – not once, not twice, but three times. And yet here we go again.”