Malta To Hold General Elections March 26, Says PM
By
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela on Sunday called a general election for March 26, launching a campaign likely to be dominated by the coronavirus pandemic and the fight against corruption.
“In the coming hours, I will be going to the president and advising him to dissolve parliament for a general election to be held on 26 March,” Abela said during a party rally in Floriana.
Abela has led the Mediterranean island nation since January 2020, when Joseph Muscat quit following a political crisis over the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
READ ALSO: Queen Elizabeth Tests Positive For COVID-19, Says Palace
Opinion polls suggest their Labour party has a significant lead over the opposition Nationalist Party, pointing to a comfortable third-term win.
Abela is expected to campaign on his handling of the pandemic, highlighting support for businesses, an EU-leading vaccination campaign and a return to brisk economic growth.
But Nationalist leader Bernard Grech, who took over a year ago as the party battled poor poll ratings, is likely to focus on the government’s record on the rule of law and corruption.