Editing Politics of Malta (section)

==Political developments since independence==

Since independence on 1964, two parties have dominated Malta's polarized and evenly divided politics during this period: the centre-right [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist Party]] and the centre-left [[Labour Party (Malta)|Labour Party]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information |first=Bureau of Public Affairs |title=Malta (06/08) |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5382.htm |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=2001-2009.state.gov |language=en}}</ref> From the pre-independence [[1962 Maltese general election|1962 general election]] until 2017, third parties failed to score any electoral success. In the [[2013 Maltese general election|2013 election]], the [[Democratic Alternative (Malta)|Democratic Alternative]] (a [[green politics|green]] party established in 1989) managed to secure only 1.8% of the first preference votes nationwide.

The 1996 elections resulted in the election of the Labour Party, by 8,000 votes, to replace the Nationalists, who had won in 1987 and 1992. Voter turnout was characteristically high at 96%, with the Labour Party receiving 50.72%, the Nationalist Party 47.8%, the [[Democratic Alternative (Malta)|Democratic Alternative]] 1.46%, and independent candidates 0.02%. 

In 1998, the Labour Party's loss in a parliamentary vote led the prime minister to call an early election. The Nationalist Party was returned to office in September 1998 by a majority of 13,000 votes, holding a five-seat majority in Parliament. Voter turnout was 95%, with the Nationalist Party receiving 51.81%, the Labour Party 46.97%, the Democratic Alternative 1.21%, and independent candidates 0.01%.

By the end of 2002 the Nationalist government wrapped up negotiations for [[European Union]] membership. A [[referendum]] on the issue was called in March 2003, for which the Nationalists and the Democratic Alternative campaigned for a "yes" vote while Labour campaigned heavily for "no" vote, invalidate their vote or abstain. Turnout was 91%, with more than 53% voting "yes".<ref>{{cite web |title=The historic moment Malta joined the European Union |url=https://www.mavm.com.mt/video-collections/european-union/ |website=Malta Audio Visual Memories}}</ref>

The Labour Party argued that the "yes" votes amounted to less than 50% of the overall votes, hence, and citing the [[1956 Maltese United Kingdom integration referendum]] as an example, they claimed that the "yes" had not in fact won the referendum. The then MLP Leader [[Alfred Sant]] said that the general election which was to be held within a month would settle the affair. In the general elections the Nationalists were returned to office with 51.79% of the vote to Labour's 47.51%. The Democratic Alternative polled 0.68%. The Nationalists were thus able to form a government and sign and ratify the EU Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003.

On 1 May 2004 Malta joined the EU and on 1 January 2008, the [[Eurozone]] with the [[euro]] as the national currency.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malta |url=https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/country-profiles/malta_en |website=european-union.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref> The first elections after membership were held in March 2008 resulting in a narrow victory for the Nationalist Party with 49.34% of first preference votes. In May 2011, a nationwide [[2011 Maltese divorce referendum|referendum]] was held on the introduction of [[divorce]]. This was the first time in the history of parliament that Parliament approved a motion originating outside from the Cabinet.<ref>{{cite news |title=Malta votes 'Yes' in divorce referendum |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-13588834 |work=BBC News |date=29 May 2011}}</ref>

In March 2013, the Labour Party returned to government after fifteen years in opposition with a record-breaking lead of 36,000 votes leading to the resignation of the Nationalist leader [[Lawrence Gonzi]], and [[Joseph Muscat]] became prime minister.<ref>{{cite news |title=Labour returns to power in Malta after 15 years |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-21734277 |work=BBC News |date=10 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=New PM thanks Lawrence Gonzi - The Malta Independent |url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-03-10/news/new-pm-thanks-lawrence-gonzi-1120337920/ |work=www.independent.com.mt}}</ref> In June 2017, the Labour Party called in a snap election on its [[May Day]] celebrations and increased its vote disparity to around 40,000 votes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Malta election: PM Joseph Muscat wins snap poll |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40150728 |work=BBC News |date=4 June 2017}}</ref> The then leader of the opposition, [[Simon Busuttil]], announced his resignation shortly thereafter. This election saw the first third party elected to Malta's Parliament since independence, with the election of [[Marlene Farrugia]] in the 10th District representing the [[Democratic Party (Malta)|Democratic Party]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/election-2017/77902/race_heats_up_in_the_tenth_as_marlene_farrugia_takes_on_pn_incumbents_|title= Marlene Farrugia elected on 10th district, George Pullicino out of race|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|access-date=2019-04-26}}</ref> [[Joseph Muscat]] continued to be prime minister<ref name="times">{{Cite news |title=Times of Malta: Muscat sworn in as Prime Minister |language=en-gb |url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/live-blog-muscat-to-be-sworn-in-as-pl-supporters-celebrate-victory.650018 |access-date=2021-02-23}}</ref> In January 2020, he stepped down after the [[2019 Malta political crisis]] surrounding the car bombing of investigative journalist [[Daphne Caruana Galizia]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Malta car bomb kills Panama Papers journalist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/16/malta-car-bomb-kills-panama-papers-journalist |work=the Guardian |date=16 October 2017 |language=en}}</ref> [[Robert Abela]] - the son of Malta's former president [[George Abela]] - elected a new leader of Labour Party and new prime minister of Malta in January 2020.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51080574| title = Malta: Robert Abela elected new PM after crisis over journalist's murder - BBC News| work = BBC News| date = 12 January 2020}}</ref>

Democratic Alternative and the Democratic Party merged into a new party, [[AD+PD]], on 17 October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sansone|first=Kurt|date=16 October 2020|title=AD+PD is new name for merger between Alternattiva and Partit Demokratiku|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/105342/adpd_is_new_name_for_merger_between_alternattiva_and_partit_demokratiku|access-date=17 October 2020|website=Malta Today|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=17 October 2020|title=AD+PD formalised as small parties merge|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/adpd-formalised-as-small-parties-merge.825421|access-date=17 October 2020|website=Times of Malta|language=en-gb}}</ref>

In March 2022, the ruling Labour party, led by Prime Minister Robert Abela, won its third successive [[2022 Maltese general election|election]]. It gained even bigger victory than in 2013 and in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |title=Labour Party claims victory in Malta elections |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/27/malta-elections-ruling-labour-party-claims-victory |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>