2026 Maltese general election

The previous elections in March 2022 saw the Labour Party, which has governed the country since 2013, receive 55% of the popular vote and win 44 out of 79 seats in the House of Representatives. Robert Abela, the Prime Minister of Malta and leader of the Labour Party since 2020, and his new cabinet were sworn in on 30 March 2022. Bernard Grech, the leader of the Nationalist Party, was re-elected unopposed in May 2022. The current Leader of the Opposition is Alex Borg, leader of the Nationalist Party, since 10 September 2025. The election was announced following the completion of a deal to transfer Manoel Island back to the Maltese Government, and in the context of the ongoing war in Iran during a short address to the nation. Media speculation that the Prime Minister Robert Abela was considering calling a snap election had been ongoing since March 2026. On 22 March, Abela unveiled a focus on a "stronger Malta" for Labour's forthcoming manifesto in a speech to supporters. Following hints during his Freedom Day speech of an impending election, the Labour Party held a Congress from 12 to 17 April in which the election manifesto guidelines were approved by the party's members. In an address to the nation, Abela announced a snap election on 30 May 2026, citing current geopolitical instability as requiring a new mandate from the Maltese people. Parliamentary parties before the election The table below lists parties represented in the House of Representatives after the 2022 general election. == Electoral system ==

MPs are elected from 13 five-seat constituencies by single transferable vote using optional preferential voting. Candidates who pass the Droop quota in the first round are elected, and any surplus votes transferred to the remaining candidates, who will be elected if this enables them to pass the quota. If only two parties obtain seats, if the party which wins a majority of first preference votes fails to achieve a parliamentary majority, it is awarded additional seats to ensure a one-seat majority. Prior to the 2017 election, when the Democratic Party won two seats while running in a joint list with the Nationalist Party, the last time a party other than the Labour Party or the Nationalist Party won seats was in 1962. In 2018, the Parliament of Malta lowered the national voting age to 16. During the 2017–2022 legislature a gender-corrective mechanism was introduced, with Article 52(A) of the Constitution stating that provides for up to 12 additional seats for unelected candidates from "the under-represented sex" in case one of both makes up less than 40% of the elected MPs. Candidates are allowed to run in two different constituencies, and if elected in both, they must vacate one of the seats. Their replacement is chosen by a "casual election", where the votes for the vacating candidate are redistributed among other contenders. Voters must mark the ballot with numbers and cannot use an 'X' or other symbol. Writing a message on the ballot will also invalidate it. ==Timetable==

Volt Malta stated they would not participate in the election, and would instead "support progressive and moderate third-party and independent voices". ==Candidates==

The Labour Party, Nationalist Party, AD+PD, Momentum and Aħwa Maltin fielded candidates in all 13 constituencies. Independent perennial candidate Nazzareno Bonnici (Żaren Tal-Ajkla) announced that he would be contesting the election. ==Campaign==

Labour Party The Labour Party began its campaign by publishing their slogan Int Malta or You Are Malta in English and multiple billboards with the slogan. On 28 April, only a day after the election announcement, Labour held it first mass rally. The party also published a series of proposals such as the increase of maternity and various other leaves. It also included multiple tax reductions and financial support largely aimed at young people, first-time buyers and seniors. On 29 April, the Labour Party announced it would be making Gozo Channel trips free for people, provided they do not bring their car with them, alongside other Gozo-related proposals, including a 45 million euro interconnector, the modernisation of all their schools and road reperations. One of the most important rallies was held on 1 May, which is also Workers' Day where the party announced major promises to the people. Nationalist Party The Nationalist Party started its campaign by announcing their slogan Nifs Ġdid (A Breath of Fresh Air in English) while also installing billboards and banners with the slogan. On 28 April the Nationalist Party hosted it's first Mass Meeting in Pieta, outside of the Party HQ. During the mass meeting the party announced multiple proposals related to healthcare such as a new hospital in the North, a new hospital in Gozo, an expansion of Mater Dei, free cancer treatment, and others. During a rally in Mellieħa, Borg promised minimum-wage stipends for healthcare students, an overall 25% increase in stipends, and heavy tax incentives for returning healthcare expats. On 2 May, the party announced it would make Gozo a region. AD+PD Before the election was announced AD+PD and Momentum announced an electoral agreement. On 28 April the AD+PD party announced its slogan, Ilkoll or All of us in English. On 29 April the party announced its candidates for the election which include: Mark Zerafa in the 1st and 9th districts, Mario Mallia in the 2nd and 8th district, Brain Decelis in the 3rd and 4th district, Melissa Bagley in the 5th district, Sandra Gauci in the 6th and 12th district, Carmel Cacopardo in the 7th and 11th district, Marcus Lauri in the 10th district and Luke Caruana in the 12th and 13th districts. Momentum Before the election was announced AD+PD and Momentum made an electoral agreement. On 28 April Momentum announced its slogan, ''Bidla Ta' Veru (Real Change''). Apart from Arnold Cassola, leading University researcher, Professor Pierre Schembri-Wismayer will run on the Momentum ticket. On 30 April, Momentum unveiled its candidates for all 13 districts. Aħwa Maltin On 29 April Aħwa Maltin announced they would contest all constituencies under the slogan Malta għall-Maltin (Malta for Maltese). Their campaign has focused on seven key points: protection and support for the family, strict immigration controls, affordable housing, support for small businesses and workers, safeguarding cultural heritage and animal welfare, preservation of the Maltese identity, and tackling the cost of living. Imperium Europa On 28 April Imperium Europa announced that party leader Eman Cross would contest the 1st and 9th districts. This is the first general election the party has run in since 2008, as it had since then focused solely on European Parliament elections. AI involvement was not reserved to the two main parties, but smaller parties most notably Aħwa Maltin made a short edit showing their leader, Paul Salamone being smarter and more competent than Robert Abela. == Opinion polls ==

Opinion polling conducted in 2026 has generally shown the Labour Party maintaining a lead over the Nationalist Party, although the margin varies across surveys. A MaltaToday survey conducted in March 2026 placed the Labour Party at approximately 48.2% and the Nationalist Party at 45.6%, indicating a narrow lead. Earlier surveys in January 2026 reported similar results, with Labour polling at around 48.9% and the Nationalist Party at 45.7%. A separate survey conducted by Vincent Marmarà in February 2026 suggested a wider gap when accounting for undecided voters, projecting Labour support at 52.8% compared to around 42.6% for the Nationalist Party. Cost of living, purchasing power, and the economy are considered significant electoral issues, yet a KPMG report indicates that wages have effectively remained stagnant since 2018. == References ==