Man previously expelled from Imperium Europa elected as its new leader

A man who was permanently expelled from Imperium Europa in 2021 due to what the party's founder described as bad character and aggressive behaviour has been elected its new leader.

Eman Cross was announced as the far-right group's new leader on its TikTok account on Sunday. He takes over from Terrence Portelli, who stepped down the day before citing personal reasons and time constraints.

Cross had previously been associated with Imperium Europa as the self-described leader and founder of Malta Right Wing Youths, the party's youth wing. But in July 2021, founder Norman Lowell announced on Facebook that Cross had been permanently expelled from party activities following a temporary suspension.

The election of Cross marks a sharp reversal for a party that had formally cut ties with him just four years ago.

Cross has a string of court appearances on record. In 2022, he pleaded not guilty to threatening his mother and her partner, though during the same arraignment he admitted to breaching a probation order and to unlawfully possessing a weapon. The court placed him under a Treatment Order related to an alcohol problem.

More recently, Cross pleaded guilty in 2024 to breaching bail conditions after police found him in a Ħamrun bar. His bail, handed down in April 2024, required him to observe a curfew between 7pm and 7am.

Imperium Europa was founded by Lowell and advocates for the unification of Europe into a single political entity with the stated aim of preserving the white race.