2008 Maltese general election

none February 2026 February 2026 Malta parliamentary 2003 Maltese general election 2003 2013 Maltese general election 2013 All seats in the House of Representatives 8 March 2008 EPP Congress Marseille 7444.jpg Lawrence Gonzi Nationalist Party (Malta) 51.79%, 35 seats 35 143,468 49.34% 2.45pp Alfred Sant.jpg Alfred Sant Labour Party (Malta) 47.51%, 30 seats 34 4 141,888 48.79% 1.28pp Malta general election 2008 01.png Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi Nationalist Party (Malta) Lawrence Gonzi Nationalist Party (Malta) 93.3% ( 2.7pp) General elections were held in Malta on 8 March 2008 to elect all members of Parliament. They took place alongside local elections. The elections were contested by the Nationalist Party, the Malta Labour Party (later known simply as the Labour Party). The governing Nationalist Party led by Lawrence Gonzi won its third consecutive election against Alfred Sant's Labour Party, winning the popular vote by a margin of just 0.55% and with its majority in parliament reduced to just one seat. Voter turnout was 93.3%. Background Alfred Sant, Labour's candidate, had served as prime minister from 1996 to 1998 and led the party to two electoral defeats.4 November 2007 A battle of ideas http://archive.maltatoday.com.mt/2007/11/04/editorial.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216143044/http://archive.maltatoday.com.mt/2007/11/04/editorial.html 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 MaltaToday on Sunday The Gonzi administration It was the first election held since Malta joined the European Union, now deemed a milestone in the country's history.Zammit 2011 6 From 2003 to 2006, the number of African migrants landing in Malta tripled, many of them landing by accident while on their way to Italy. They would be confined in a detention centre for up to a year and a half till, if applicable, they were given humanitarian aid or refugee status and released. As an EU member, Malta had to receive such immigrants provided that it was the first country in the EU they entered. In the words of the BBC's Alix Kroeger, Malta was "struggling to cope".Kroeger Alix 9 July 2007 Malta struggles with migrants http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6283736.stm live https://web.archive.org/web/20251224194050/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6283736.stm 24 December 2025 17 February 2026 BBC News Procedure The House of Representatives was dissolved on 4 February,5 February 2008 Election On 8 March: PM shows 'the way forward' https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-02-05/news/election-on-8-march-pm-shows-the-way-forward-203221/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216143824/https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-02-05/news/election-on-8-march-pm-shows-the-way-forward-203221/ 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 The Malta Independent with elections scheduled for 8 March, the same day that local elections were to be held in 23 of 68 local councils.February 2026 The system of voting used was, as in previous elections, proportional representation through modified single transferable vote with five MPs to be returned from each of thirteen districts, so 65 constituency seats in total, with a variable number of at-large seats added to ensure that the overall first-preference votes are reflected in the composition of the House of Representatives.February 2026 Campaign Candidates Eight parties contested: the Nationalist and Labour parties, alongside Harry Vassallo's Democratic Alternative, Josie Muscat's National Action, Norman Lowell's Imperium Europa, Victor Zammit's Gozitan Party, Emmy Bezzina's Alpha Liberal Democrats,Zammit 2011 51 and Forward Malta.February 2026 National Action was formed in June 2007 in response to the surge of migrants. Zammit, a Gozitan, had contested the 2004 European Parliament election.6 June 2004 Gozo Must be represented in the EP https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2004-06-06/news/gozo-must-be-represented-in-the-ep-66858/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260217075019/https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2004-06-06/news/gozo-must-be-represented-in-the-ep-66858/ 17 February 2026 17 February 2026 The Malta Independent The Nationalists' official campaign tune was "Iva, Flimkien Kollox Possibli", while Labour's primary anthem was Yazz's version of "The Only Way Is Up", with a slightly changed refrain.Reljic Teodor 29 January 2012 The music of politics https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/arts/music/15567/the-music-of-politics-20120128 live https://web.archive.org/web/20260217070340/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/arts/music/15567/the-music-of-politics-20120128 17 February 2026 17 February 2026 MaltaToday Platforms The Nationalist Party's programme, donning the slogan "Yes, together everything is possible" (Iva, flimkien kollox possibbli), supported, among other things, lowering the income tax, ending departure tax as well as taxes on credit cards and television sets, founding Smart City to create 5,600 jobs, setting up offshore wind farms, "[regenerating]" Valletta, and improving Ta' Qali Crafts Village. Labour's manifesto, named "Plan for a new beginning" (Pjan għal bidu ġdid), pledged to amend the educational system, halve the new electricity surcharge, remove value-added tax on education and income tax on overtime, introduce compensation on public holdays that happen to fall on a Saturday or Sunday, and create programmes to attract first-time property buyers, et cetera.Zammit 2011 51–52 Under the motto "Through your vote, change" (Bil-vot tiegħek, il-bidla), the Democratic Alternative emphasized the absence of a third party in Maltese politics and asserted that the two major parties were indistinguishable.Zammit 2011 52 National Action's foremost policy proposal was to forbid illegal immigrants from entering Malta and to send a share of them to the EU if this could not be done, with founder Josie Muscat calling the recent uptick in immigration an "invasion". The party also supported a powerful, directly-elected, unaffiliated presidency. Its manifesto was named "Sovereignty, seriousness, justice" (Sovranità, serjetà, gustizzja).Zammit 2011 54 In the runup to the 2004 European Parliament election, the Gozitan Party's Victor Zammit offered solutions to the disparity in Gozo's gross domestic product from Malta's and stressed the need for representation of Gozo's issues in Europe. Course of events MaltaToday's opinion polls in late 2007 showed no clear leading party. By July 2007, National Action was polling at around four-and-a-half to six percent. Towards the campaign's end, the Nationalist member of parliament Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando rented his land in Mistra, Mellieħa, for a disco, rousing much public interest.27 June 2021 'It was obvious I won the election for PN in 2008' – Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando https://timesofmalta.com/article/it-was-obvious-i-won-the-election-for-pn-in-2008-jeffrey-pullicino.882505#cta_comments live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216214226/https://timesofmalta.com/article/it-was-obvious-i-won-the-election-for-pn-in-2008-jeffrey-pullicino.882505 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 Times of Malta On 1 March, Sant described his act as "scandalous, immersed in corruption, obscene and protected the interest of a small clique".Mangion Chris 14 April 2014 Pullicino Orlando loses Mistra libel case against Alfred Sant https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/court_and_police/37985/jpo_loses_libel_case_against_alfred_sant live https://web.archive.org/web/20251117223324/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/court_and_police/37985/jpo_loses_libel_case_against_alfred_sant 17 November 2025 16 February 2026 MaltaToday Orlando then engaged in what the Times of Malta labels as a "bizarre" press conference where he attacked Sant. He later turned to the Labour Party. In his 2021 memoirs, Orlando claims that his performance in the press event won the Nationalists the election: "[Gonzi] confirmed that the tide turned in his favour in the final weeks of the campaign. The only development of note in the final weeks was Mistra." But pundits agree that the Mistra scandal harmed the Nationalist Party. Results Initial exit polls and statistics suggested a very close result. Preliminary results had been expected by Sunday noon but these had to be delayed until a full first count was completed.February 2026 By half past ten, Labour insiders had told MaltaToday that they were anticipating an 8,000 vote majority, a sentiment that lingered on for another three hours. However, by two, Nationalist insiders stated that the flow of results had turned to their favour.MaltaToday Election Special 2008 3 The Nationalist Party won with 49.3% to Labour's 48.8% a difference of 1,580 votes. This marked its third victory in a row, the first such instance for any party in Maltese parliamentary history.16 March 2008 Election Aftermath https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-03-16/newspaper-opinions/Election-Aftermath-205109 live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216154545/https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2008-03-16/newspaper-opinions/Election-Aftermath-205109 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 The Malta IndependentFenech 2008 1049 Just under two percent of registered voters, 5,266 individuals, failed to collect their voting documents,Scicluna Christopher 9 March 2008 The waiting game: What to look out for https://timesofmalta.com/article/the-waiting-game-what-to-look-out-for.199572 live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216155547/https://timesofmalta.com/article/the-waiting-game-what-to-look-out-for.199572 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 Times of Malta so fewer than 310,000 people were eligible to vote on election day.February 2026 In total, voter turnout was 93.3%, a drop of nearly three points from the previous election and the lowest since 1971.9 March 2008 Nationalist supporters celebrate a narrow victory https://timesofmalta.com/article/nationalist-supporters-celebrate-a-narrow-victory.199745 live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216144745/https://timesofmalta.com/article/nationalist-supporters-celebrate-a-narrow-victory.199745 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 Times of Malta9 March 2008 Turnout drops to 93%, lowest since 1971 https://timesofmalta.com/article/turnout-drops-to-93-lowest-since-1971.199566 live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216145246/https://timesofmalta.com/article/turnout-drops-to-93-lowest-since-1971.199566 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 Times of Malta The Labour Party gained one point (percentage of the popular vote) from 2003, while the Nationalists dropped four points. The Nationalists were kept from winning an outright majority in parliament,Vassallo, in MaltaToday Election Special 2008 2 and so it was assigned another four seats for a working majority.11 March 2008 Updated: Vote counting almost completed https://timesofmalta.com/article/updated-vote-counting-almost-completed.199930 live https://web.archive.org/web/20260216152630/https://timesofmalta.com/article/updated-vote-counting-almost-completed.199930 16 February 2026 16 February 2026 Times of Malta Sant resigned as leader of the Labour Party after the election. Twelve casual elections were held in April to fill vacancies arising from candidates elected from two districts declining their second seat. Both the Nationalist Party and Labour each elected six members in this way, leaving the overall parliamentary numbers unchanged.http://www.doi-archived.gov.mt/EN/elections/2008/General%20Elections/default1.asp Department of Information Doi.gov.mt 2008-04-17 2010-11-14 File:Malte Parlement 2008.svg Nationalist Party 143468 35 0 Malta Labour Party 141888 34 +4 Democratic Alternative 3810 0 0 National Action 1461 0 New Imperium Europa 84 0 New Gozitan Party 37 0 New Alpha Liberal Democrats 21 0 New Forward Malta 8 0 New Independents 22 0 0 3415 +4 315357 Nohlen & StöverNohlen Stöver 2010 1309 Analysis The historian Dominic Fenech deems the results "as novel as [they] were repetitive". While Maltese elections had long "been characterised by highly polarised two-party contests, narrow margins of victory, and high voter turnout", the 2008 election boasted some unusual features, namely, its relatively low turnout, "slimmest imaginable" result, and its producing the same party in government thrice consecutively. Fenech raises the analogy of the tortoise and the hare to describe Labour's imagined reaction to losing against the Nationalists who had held power for twenty years, save for the two years of Sant's administration. After winning the 2003 election by virtue of supporting EU membership, he writes, the government's economic policy threatened its success. Joining the EU and adopting the Euro as the national currency introduced economic difficulties, and the government raised taxes and sold or reshaped companies in the public sector. Thus, "the economy under-performed and jobs were lost in the traditional manufacturing sector and in tourism."Fenech 2008 1049–1050 MaltaToday wrote before the election that Malta's two-party rule suffered a small setback since the nation joined the European Union. In its view, the 2008 election would be the first with immigration as a political issue and the first under the "24/7 existence of a fast-growing inquisitive media". Just after the election, the Malta Independent opined that with such a narrow majority, the Nationalist government would struggle to fulfil its EU-related commitments. The paper attributed the Nationalists' victory in part to when the election was called, that is, when the economy was faring stably. See also List of members of the Maltese parliament, 2008–13 2008 Maltese local elections Notes Bibliography 30em Fenech Dominic September 2008 The 2008 Maltese General Election: The Tortoise and the Hare https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15871 West European Politics 31 5 1049–1054 registration University of Malta Nohlen Dieter Stöver Philip 2010 Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook Nomos Publishing 978-3832956097 1309 Zammit Max May 2011 A Bibliography of General Election Manifestos of Maltese Political Parties from 1966-2008 https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/96426 Diploma long essay University of Malta 10 March 2008 Election Special http://archive.maltatoday.com.mt/2008/election_special/election_special_08.pdf MaltaToday 8 1–23 MaltaToday Election Special 2008 External links MaltaToday article on 2 March 2008 compiling the "highs of lows" of each party's campaign Footage of Nationalists' public reaction to the election results Category:General elections in Malta Malta General election Malta