Malta's Labour Party wins snap parliamentary election

Malta's Labour Party won the snap parliamentary election on Sunday, securing its fourth consecutive term in office, reported Xinhua. Labour Party leader and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said in an interview with local media that the party had made history by securing a fourth consecutive victory. He said the party would now implement its electoral program and called for national unity, urging supporters to celebrate with respect. Charles Bonello, secretary-general of the opposition Nationalist Party, confirmed the party's defeat during a visit to the counting hall, saying figures showed that the Labour Party had won the election by around 18,000 votes, according to local media reports. Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg released a video message on social media, saying he had called Abela to congratulate him on the victory. The people have spoken, and we must respect their wishes, he said. It's not the result we wanted, but it's a very clear message. We will keep working to be a strong alternative for the country. The official result, including the full list of elected members of parliament, is expected to be announced later on Sunday or early Monday morning. The victory marks Abela's second electoral mandate as Labour Party leader and prime minister. He took over from Joseph Muscat following the latter's resignation in early 2020 and went on to lead the party to victory in the 2022 general election.