Your guide to Robert Abela’s new Cabinet

Prime Minister Robert Abela has reshuffled his Cabinet following a day of individual meetings with all ministers and MPs on Saturday.

This first significant reshuffle comes just under two years since the general election and tries to respond to growing disgruntlement within the Labour Party’s rank and file.

However, the reshuffle was also partly prompted by the imminent nomination of Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne as Malta's next European Commissioner after the June European Parliament election.

The following is a guide to the changes Abela made to his Cabinet.

New ministers

Chris Bonett – Transport, infrastructure and public works

New parliamentary secretaries

Malcolm Paul Agius Galea – Elderly portfolio under Jo Etienne Abela

Omar Farrugia – Public works under Chris Bonett

Glenn Bedingfield – Cleansing under Clayton Bartolo

Ministers retained with changed portfolios

Chris Fearne – Remains deputy prime minister loses health, gains European funds, consumer affairs

Jonathan Attard – Retains justice; gains construction reform

Jo Etienne Abela – Retains elderly; gains health

Clint Camilleri – Retains Gozo; gains planning

Clayton Bartolo – Retains tourism; gains public cleansing

Miriam Dalli – Retains environment and energy; loses enterprise; gains Grand Harbour regeneration

Silvio Schembri – Retains economy; loses lands; gains enterprise and strategic projects

Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi – Gains lands and implementation of electoral programme; loses public works, planning and construction reform

Ministers retained with same portfolios

Clyde Caruana – Finance, work and Air Malta

Ian Borg – Foreign and European Affairs

Clifton Grima – Education and sports

Byron Camilleri – Home affairs, national security, reforms and equality

Owen Bonnici – Culture, heritage and local councils

Michael Falzon – Social policy

Anton Refalo – Agriculture, fisheries and animal rights

Roderick Galdes – Housing

Julia Farrugia Portelli – Inclusion and voluntary organisations

Parliamentary secretaries retained

Andy Ellul – Retains existing portfolio but shifts from OPM to Deputy Prime Minister

Alison Zerafa Civelli – Retains local councils under Owen Bonnici

Keith Azzopardi Tanti – Retains youth, R&D under Clifton Grima

Rebecca Buttigieg – Retains reforms and equality under Byron Camilleri

Alicia Bugeja Said – Retains fisheries and animal rights under Anton Refalo

Ministers demoted to backbench

Aaron Farrugia