Election History Bites| One party race

The 1945 election was unique since only one political party contested, alongside six independent candidates. However, during this period, voters elected members to the 10-member Council of Government, which advised the governor.

The Constitution had been suspended in 1933 by the British, who feared the reforms put forward by the Nationalist Party administration in favour of the Italian language, were an attempt to align Malta with fascist Italy.

The suspension of self-rule during the war period saw Malta governed directly by the governor with elections being held for the Council of Government in 1939 and 1945.

In the 1945 election, the Labour Party under Sir Paul Boffa fielded 10 candidates, including, for the first time, a certain Dominic Mintoff, popularly known as Dom. The other candidates contesting the election were independents. At the time, the Nationalist Party had its leadership decapitated by the British after its leaders were infamously deported to Uganda along with other Maltese citizens deemed to have Italian sympathies.

The MLP won 76.2% of the vote and nine seats. Independent Henry Jones, who would later go on to form the Gozo-based Jones Party, was also elected to the council.

Malta was divided in two districts, each electing five members.

Election History Bites powered by Agenda Bookshop is a series of election-inspired stories that will be published from Monday to Friday every morning throughout the election campaign