Malta general election to be held on Saturday 30 May

The next general election will be held on Saturday 30 May, Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced.

Abela made the announcement on Monday in an address to the nation, putting an end to weeks-long speculation.

Robert Abela was seen entering San Anton Palace on Monday, shortly after his address, to advice the President of the Republic Myriam Spiteri Debono to dissolve parliament and issue writ for election on 30 May. 

In his address, Abela said the globe faces an “extraordinary situation” and Malta has to be prepared.

“Our plan is not just for today, but for the years ahead. It is a plan we began working on well before all this turmoil started. A plan that considers every eventuality,” he said.

He assured the country’s finances can withstand the blow because of his administration’s “prudence, competence and leadership.”

“We succeeded because we remained focused—because we looked after one another. Because we believed in each other. We succeeded because our priorities were always in the right place: families, businesses, young people, the elderly—all Maltese and Gozitans,” he said. “We also succeeded because we created and maintained a strong economy. Because we continued to believe in a progressive economic model, and we did not yield to any pressure to shift burdens onto you.”

He stated the country needs an “elected government, with a new mandate, focused solely on the country’s needs, given all the challenges that the current context brings, and the coming months will be crucial.”

“Responsibility requires me to anticipate what our country will need—as I have done over the past six years,” he said.

The PM said his government has delivered, and “in a few weeks, the people will have chosen who they want to lead them, and the country can move forward.”

“Our renewed vision is built on a programme for the next five years—one of the most ambitious projects,” Abela said.

He said Labour’s “renewed vision” will place greater emphasis on quality of life.

“Our focus will be on quality of life. That will be our main priority for the years ahead. As we have always done—we will continue to strongly support those who need it most,” he said. “On our part, we will act with maturity. We will not enter into any political bidding war where, whatever others propose, we promise more. We will present a plan that is feasible, well-studied, ambitious, and above all responsible.”

This will be the 26 general election since 1921 when self-government was installed and the Maltese elected their first parliament.

The election slogan for the Labour Party will be Int Malta.

A number of billboards and banners sporting ‘Int Malta’ [You are Malta] were revealed across Malta as Abela delivered his address. The Labour Party is expected to organise an event launching its campaign later today.

On Saviour Balzan’s Xtra, and again on One TV yesterday, Abela insisted the election is about who is able to lead the country at a time of international turbulence