View source for Labour Party (Malta)

{{short description|Political party in Malta}}
{{use British English|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Labour Party
| native_name      = {{lang|mt|Partit Laburista}}
| native_name_lang = mlt
| governing_body   = National Executive
| abbreviation     = PL
| founder          = William Savona
| logo             = Logo of the Labour Party (Malta).svg
| logo_size        = 200px
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
| leader           = [[Robert Abela]]
| president        = Alex Sciberras
| leader2_title    = Deputy leader for parliamentary affairs
| leader2_name     = [[Ian Borg]]
| founded          = {{start date and age|15 March 1921}}
| headquarters     = Ċentru Nazzjonali Laburista, 77 Triq Mile End, [[il-Ħamrun]]
| newspaper        = ''[[Kullħadd]]''
| wing1_title      = [[Pioneer movement|Pioneer organization]]
| wing1            = Brigata Laburista ''(1959-2008)''<ref>{{cite book|last=Zerafa|first=Guze L. |title=Brigata Laburista - 'Il Quddiem Imxi|year=1984|publisher=Sensiela Kotba Socjalist|url=https://hydi.um.edu.mt/permalink/356MALT_INST/1t2t5n8/alma990001921670203956}}</ref>
| think_tank       = Fondazzjoni IDEAT
| student_wing     = [[Pulse Social Democratic Students (Malta)|PULSE]] ''(de-facto)''
| youth_wing       = [[Labour Youths]]
| womens_wing      = Labour Women
| wing3_title      = Elderly wing
| wing3            = Labour Veterans<ref>{{cite news |last1=Camilleri |first1=Enrique |title=‘Nissieltu l-Etaiżmu’ – il-Laqgħa Ġenerali tal-Veterani Laburisti se ssir nhar it-Tlieta li ġej |url=https://one.com.mt/nissieltu-l-etaizmu-il-laqgha-generali-tal-veterani-laburisti-se-ssir-nhar-it-tlieta-li-gej/ |access-date=28 August 2025 |work=One |publisher=ONE Productions Ltd |date=26 July 2025}}</ref>
| membership       = 17,500 (2020)<ref>{{cite web|title=PL members voting to elect new leader, Prime Minister; 58% vote until 2pm|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2020-01-11/local-news/Election-for-PL-Leader-and-the-next-Prime-Minister-takes-place-today-6736218265}}</ref>
| ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap|[[Social democracy]]|[[Populism]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malta |first=Times of |date=2024-07-13 |title=Abela's populism backfires |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/abela-populism-backfires.1095193 |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Times of Malta |language=en-gb}}</ref>|'''Historical:'''|[[Democratic socialism]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Clyde: Labour should not be ashamed of calling itself socialist |website=MaltaToday |date=30 October 2022 |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/119502/watch_red_clyde_labour_should_not_be_ashamed_of_calling_itself_socialist}}</ref>}}
| position         = [[Centrism|Centre]] to [[centre-left]]<br>'''Historical:'''<br>[[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]]
| national         = Malta Labour Movement ''(1978–1992)''<ref>{{cite book|last=Zammit|first=Edward L. |title=A colonial inheritance: Maltese perceptions of work, power and class structure with reference to the labour movement|year=1989|publisher=Malta University Press|url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/33768|location=Malta}}</ref>
| european         = [[Party of European Socialists]]
| europarl         = [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]]
| colours          = {{color box|{{Political party data|color}}|border=darkgray}} Red
| slogan           = Labor Omnia Vincit
| anthem           = "L-Innu tal-Partit Laburista"<br />("Anthem of the Labour Party")
<!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q684886 -->| seats1_title     = [[Parliament of Malta]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}}
| seats2_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|EP}}
| seats3_title     = Mayors of localities
| seats3           = {{Composition bar|39|68|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| symbol           = 
| flag             = Flag of the Labour Party (Malta).svg
| flag_alt         = Flag of the Labour Party
| international    = [[Socialist International]]<br>'''Historical:'''<br>[[Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organisation|AAPSO]]<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Grech |first=Sergio |title=Church and politics in Malta, 1955-1970 |date=2008 |degree=Masters |publisher=University of Malta |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/75239 |language=en}}</ref>
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}
| country          = Malta
| seats4_title     = Local council seats
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|252|462|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| leader3_name     = [[Alex Agius Saliba]]
| leader3_title    = Deputy leader for party affairs
| wing2            = [[One Productions]]
| wing2_title      = Media arm
}}

The '''Labour Party''' ({{langx|mt|Partit Laburista}}, PL), formerly known as the '''Malta Labour Party''' ({{langx|mt|Partit tal-Ħaddiema|links=no}}, '''MLP'''), is the oldest [[List of political parties in Malta|political party in Malta]], and one of the two major parties alongside the [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist Party]].<ref>[http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=67864 INDEPENDENT online] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602043745/http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=67864 |date=2 June 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/malta.html|title=Malta|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|first=Wolfram|last=Nordsieck|year=2017|access-date=7 June 2018|archive-date=20 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120072207/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/malta.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It sits on the [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]] of the political spectrum.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[Politico]]|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/centre-left-on-course-for-victory-in-maltese-election/|title=Centre-left on course for victory in Maltese election|last=Dallison|first=Paul|date=13 April 2014|access-date=28 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128034905/https://www.politico.eu/article/centre-left-on-course-for-victory-in-maltese-election/|archive-date=28 November 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The party was founded in 1921 as the Chamber of Labour by a small group of [[trade union]]ists. Ideologically, the party was orientated towards [[democratic socialism]] and other [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]] stances until the early 1990s, when it followed the lead of like-minded Western [[Social democracy|social-democratic]] parties like Britain's [[New Labour]].<ref name="Briguglio">{{cite news |date=January 2001 |title=Ideological and Strategic Shifts from Old Labour to New Labour In Malta |work=Michael Briguglio |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277308092 |url-status=live |access-date=18 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220104740/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277308092_Ideological_and_Strategic_Shifts_from_Old_Labour_to_New_Labour_In_Malta |archive-date=20 February 2021}}</ref><ref name="Slomp2011">{{cite book |author=Hans Slomp |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LmfAPmwE6YYC&pg=PA683 |title=Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics |date=30 September 2011 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0-313-39182-8 |page=683 |access-date=22 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703120749/http://books.google.com/books?id=LmfAPmwE6YYC&pg=PA683 |archive-date=3 July 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> The party still claims to be democratic-socialist in their party programme.<ref name="STATUT – Partit Laburista">{{Cite web |title=STATUT – Partit Laburista |url=https://partitlaburista.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Statut.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801094955/http://www.partitlaburista.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Statut.pdf |archive-date=1 August 2016 |access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Said |first1=Mark |date=29 December 2021 |title=What brand of socialism does the labour movement practice? |url=https://thejournal.mt/analysis-what-brand-of-socialism-does-the-labour-movement-practice/ |access-date=25 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Zarb |first1=Manuel |date=26 May 2018 |title=How Labour sold off socialism (and its soul) |agency=The Shift News |url=https://theshiftnews.com/2018/05/26/how-labour-sold-off-socialism-and-its-soul/ |access-date=25 May 2022}}</ref> Under the rule of [[Joseph Muscat]], the party shifted to a more [[Centrism|centrist]] position,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Debono |first=James |date=30 January 2020 |title=[ANALYSIS] Would a name change solve the PN's identity crisis? |url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/100054/would_a_name_change_solve_the_pns_identity_crisis |access-date=9 May 2021 |website=MaltaToday |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pace |first=Roderick |date=2 October 2017 |title=Winning Against the Trend: Labour's Victory in the 2017 Maltese Parliamentary Election |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13608746.2017.1410274 |journal=South European Society and Politics |language=en |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=509–529 |doi=10.1080/13608746.2017.1410274 |s2cid=158088791 |issn=1360-8746|url-access=subscription }}</ref> adopting [[Third Way]] policies.<ref name="Gauchi">{{Cite book |last=Gauchi |first=Jude Samuel |title=Malta's Labour Party and Social Policy: A Sociological Investigation |publisher=University of Malta |date=April 2014 |location=Msida}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bonnici |first=Julian |date=15 January 2018 |title=Malta's Labour Party should learn from mistakes of Blair's third-way politics |url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2018-01-15/local-news/Malta-s-Labour-Party-should-learn-from-mistakes-of-Blair-s-third-way-politics-6736183594 |access-date=5 March 2022 |website=www.independent.com.mt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Rix |first=Juliet |title=Malta |date=2010 |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |isbn=978-1-84162-312-2 |location=Chalfont St. Peter |oclc=501398370}}</ref> A formerly [[Euroscepticism|Eurosceptic]] party,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pace |first=Roderick |date=2011 |title=Malta: Euroscepticism in a Polarised Polity |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13608740903454155 |journal=South European Society and Politics |language=en |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=133–157 |doi=10.1080/13608740903454155 |s2cid=55655902 |issn=1360-8746|url-access=subscription }}</ref> it claims to hold [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]] stances and is a member of the [[Party of European Socialists]],<ref name="EURACTIV">{{cite web|title=EU country briefing: Malta|website=EURACTIV|date=6 May 2019|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/eu-country-briefing-malta/|access-date=20 February 2021|archive-date=20 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220104745/https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/eu-country-briefing-malta/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pes.eu/your_party|title=Your party|work=Party of European Socialists|access-date=3 July 2015|archive-date=6 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506132710/http://www.pes.eu/your_party|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[Socialist International]].<ref name="maltatoday.com.mt">{{Cite web |title=Labour Party re-joins Socialist International once snubbed by Joseph Muscat |url=https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/132984/labour_party_rejoins_socialist_international_once_snubbed_by_joseph_muscat |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=MaltaToday.com.mt |language=en}}</ref>

== Party structure ==
The party structures are the General Conference, the National Executive, the Leader, and the Deputy Leaders, the Party Congress, the Party Administration, the Parliamentary Group, the Councillors' Section, the District and the Regional Administrations, the Local Committees, and the Branches.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110607120914/http://www.mlp.org.mt/rizorsi/dokumenti/downloads/statut_pl.pdf Chapter IV of the Party Statute]</ref>
[[File:Emblema tal-Partit tal-Ħaddiema.png|left|thumb|175x175px|The original Labour emblem in use until 1933{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}]]
{{Labour|parties}}
The General Conference is largely made up of delegates from the Party's other constituent structures and is the Party's highest organ. The National Executive brings together the Party Administration as well as elected representatives of other constituent structures and co-ordinators. The Party Congress is made up of all members of the Party and elects the Leader and the two Deputy Leaders (one for Party, the other for Parliamentary affairs) and determines the Party's broad policy outlines. The Party Administration is made of the Party Leader, Deputy Leaders, and Party officials. The Parliamentary Group and the Councillors' Section bring together the Party's elected representatives in [[Maltese House of Representatives|parliament]] and [[Local councils of Malta|local councils]]. The Party is organised geographically in the local committees (smallest) and district and regional (largest) administrations. Finally, the branches of the party include the women's, [[Labour Youth Forum (Malta)|youth]], senior, and candidates' sections.

===Media holdings===
Although not formally part of the party's structures, the party owns a number of media and communication outlets, the largest being the television station [[One (Maltese TV channel)|ONE]] and radio service [[One Radio|ONE Radio]] through its holding company [[One Productions|ONE Productions]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sammut|first1=Carmen|title=Media and Maltese Society|date=2007|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=9780739115268|page=56|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QjzxFF8ZjfwC&q=one+productions+limited+malta+owned+by+labour&pg=PA56|access-date=8 April 2016|language=en}}</ref> The party also owns the publishing house SKS (Sensiela Kotba Soċjalisti) and produces the weekly Sunday newspaper ''[[Kullħadd]].'' The party formerly ran the travel agency Sunrise Travel and the [[Mobile virtual network operator|MVNO]] RedTouch Fone.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-04-13 |title=Sunrise Travel Ltd to stop operating |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/sunrise-travel-ltd-to-stop-operating.177775 |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=Times of Malta |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-12-02 |title=PN advertising phone service |url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/pn-advertising-phone-service.284182 |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=Times of Malta |language=en-gb}}</ref>

== History ==
{{More citations needed|section|date=October 2025}}

===Foundation, first years, and first government (1921–1949)===

The Labour Party was founded as the '''Chamber of Labour''' ({{langx|it|Camera del Lavoro}}) in 1921 by one of the union branches affiliated with the Imperial Government Workers Union. Band clubs and other organisations were invited to send delegates to the Party's founding meeting on 15 March 1921, significantly, the 30th anniversary of [[Pope Leo XIII]]'s ''[[Rerum novarum]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.michaelbriguglio.com/MA%20THESES%20-%20Chapter%203.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=25 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227154738/http://www.michaelbriguglio.com/MA%20THESES%20-%20Chapter%203.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2012 }}</ref>

Led by Colonel [[William Savona]], the Party contested the general elections held in 1921 and 1924 under the new Constitution that gave the country a measure of self-government. The Labour-Constitutional alliance won the 1927 general elections, but Labour lost ground, gaining 13.9% of votes, three seats in the Legislative Assembly and no representation in the [[Senate of Malta|Senate]]. Strickland became prime minister. Labour leader Savona was not elected, and the leadership of the Labour parliamentary group was temporarily entrusted to Colonel [[Michael Dundon]]. The Presidency of the Party and leadership of the parliamentary group was taken up by [[Paul Boffa]] later that year.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} In 1930, it adopted a party anthem.<ref name="Bandiera Ħamra: l-Ewwel ta' Mejju f'Malta">{{Cite book |last=Borg |first=Joe |url=https://hydi.um.edu.mt/permalink/f/168iduc/356MALT_alma2120995580003956 |title=Bandiera Ħamra: l-Ewwel ta' Mejju f'Malta |publisher=SKS |year=1990 |location=Isla |page=145 |language=mt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Grech Urpani |first=David |date=1 May 2007 |title=Every Song You'll Hear at Today's Mass Meetings |url=https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/nostalgia/the-soundtrack-to-maltas-mass-meetings-of-the-past-present-and-future/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730015241/https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/nostalgia/the-soundtrack-to-maltas-mass-meetings-of-the-past-present-and-future/ |archive-date=30 July 2019 |access-date=30 July 2019 |website=www.lovinmalta.com |language=en}}</ref>

Labour gained nine seats out of ten in the elections held during November 1945, in which, contrarily to previous elections, all men over twenty-one years of age were entitled to vote. The Party's electoral programme, for the first time in Labour's history, did not make any reference to religion. Boffa's Government was supported by the [[General Workers' Union (Malta)|General Workers' Union]], and it carried out a number of reforms, such as the abolition of the Senate, the abolition of plural votes, as well as the introduction of [[women]]'s right to vote. However, Labour deputies resigned from their posts in July 1946 due to mass redundancies at the Dockyards. In the meantime, the '''MacMichael Constitution''<nowiki>'</nowiki> had been introduced, granting self-government to the [[Malta|Maltese]]. Labour's participation in the subsequent October 1947 elections was once again supported by the [[General Workers' Union (Malta)|General Workers' Union]]. The Party won 59.9% of the vote and twenty-four seats out of the possible forty within the Legislative Assembly. [[Paul Boffa]] became prime minister whilst [[Dom Mintoff]] became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reconstruction. The Labour Government introduced Income Tax and Social Services for the first time in [[Malta]].{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

=== Re-founding and return to government (1949–1958)===
[[File:Malta - Floriana - Vjal il-Re Dwardu VII-Vjal Nelson+election celebration 01 ies.jpg|thumb|Emblem of the MLP adopted in 1949 on a flag. The emblem was changed in 2008 but it is still commonly seen at Labour meetings and events.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}]]
The Labour Party was re-founded in 1949 as a successor to the Labour Party founded in 1921. [[Paul Boffa]], Leader of the Labour Party and prime minister since 1947, resigned and left the party because of serious disagreements with his Deputy [[Dom Mintoff]] which had led to a series of cabinet crises. Boffa formed the [[Malta Workers Party]] (MWP) while Mintoff re-organized the Labour Party as the '''Malta Labour Party'''.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} It has also adopted ''[[The Internationale]]'' as one of its anthems.<ref>{{cite web |date=25 April 2019 |title=L'Internationale - MALTESE |url=https://www.antiwarsongs.org/canzone.php?id=2003#agg264526 |access-date=25 May 2022 |website=Antiwar Songs}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Innu Malti Innu Tal Partit Tal Haddiema L Internazzjonal - national anthem of Malta | date=20 August 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWeGiO4jxdU |language=en |access-date=2022-05-25}}</ref>

The Malta Labour Party contested its first elections for the Malta Legislative Assembly the following year. The old Labour vote was split equally between the MLP and the MWP, giving them eleven members each. This allowed the [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist Party]] (PN) to have a slight edge in the formation of a government, which it did in coalition with the MWP. The government did not last long. Two other elections were held in 1951 and 1953 (the last time a coalition governed in Malta) which both saw short-lived PN-MWP coalitions and the decline in the share of votes to the MWP with increasing support for the Labour Party.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

The MWP eventually disintegrated and the MLP formed a government for the first time in 1955. This [[legislature]] was dominated by the issue of [[History of Malta#Attempted integration with the United Kingdom|integration]] with the [[United Kingdom]]. The party, which started its life as an anti-colonial party with the slogan "Integration or self-determination" was now inclined towards the first part of the formula.<ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zxzTAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Integration+or+self-determination%22 ''Fortress Colony: 1958-1961''], Joseph M. Pirotta, Studia Editions, 2001, page 25</ref> A [[1956 Maltese United Kingdom integration referendum|referendum]] was held in 1956 but given the number of abstentions and massive opposition by the Nationalist Party and the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Church]], the result was inconclusive. This, together with a number of dismissals at the naval dockyard led to Mintoff's resignation and his call for massive protests in April 1958.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

===Opposition (1958–1971)===
The Governor re-established direct [[Colonization|colonial government]] which lasted until 1962. In the meantime, the Malta Labour Party's connections with [[Third World]] Independentist and [[Socialist]] movements set it on a collision course with the Maltese Catholic Church, which the Party perceived as being pro-British and the cause of the failure of the Integration project. This led to the party leadership being [[Interdict (Catholic canon law)|interdicted]] from 1961 to 1964, when reading, advertising and distributing Party newspapers was deemed a [[mortal sin]]. In the 1962 elections, this led to the defeat of the Party at the polls as well as a split with the creation of the [[Christian Workers' Party]]. Peace with the Church would not be made until 1969 by which time the [[Christian Workers' Party]] had disintegrated.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

The MLP participated in [[independence]] talks but disagreed with what was offered, causing them to not participate in the Independence celebrations when independence was actually achieved in 1964. The party made strong gains in the [[1966 Maltese general election|1966 elections]] which, however, were not enough to see it in office.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

An unimportant split occurred in 1969 when the [[Communist Party of Malta]] was founded. This split happened as a result of the truce between the Malta Labour Party and local Catholic authorities. The Communist Party has since only contested the 1987 elections.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

===Post-independence Mintoff governments (1971–1984)===

Labour won the [[1971 Maltese general election|1971 general election]] and immediately set out to re-negotiate the post-Independence [[military]] and financial agreements with the United Kingdom. The government also undertook socialist-style [[nationalization]] programmes, import substitution schemes, and the expansion of the [[public sector]] and the [[welfare state]]. Employment laws were revised with gender equality being introduced in salary pay. In the case of civil law, civil (non-religious) marriage was introduced and homosexuality and adultery were decriminalised. Through a package of constitutional reforms agreed to with the opposition party, Malta became a [[republic]] in 1974.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

The Labour Party was confirmed in office in the [[1976 Maltese general election|1976 elections]]. In 1981 the Party managed to hold on to a parliamentary majority, even though the opposition Nationalist Party managed an absolute majority of more than 4000 votes. A serious political crisis ensued when Nationalist [[Members of Parliament|MPs]] refused to accept the electoral result and also refused to take their seats in parliament for the first years of the legislature. Premier [[Dom Mintoff]] called this action "perverse" but it was not an uncommon one in any parliamentary democracy with disputed election results. He proposed to his parliamentary group that fresh elections be held, {{citation needed|date=January 2011}} but most members of his Parliamentary group rejected his proposal.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}} Mintoff, who had been considering vacating the party leadership position even before the elections,{{citation needed|date=January 2011}} voluntarily resigned as prime minister and Party leader in 1984 (although he retained his parliamentary seat). A Party General Conference in that same year appointed [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]] who acted uncontested as party leader.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

===Post-Mintoff era (1984–1992)===
[[File:Malta 02 Valletta.jpg|thumb|The club of the Malta Labour Party in Republic Street, [[Valletta]] in 1985.]]
The Mifsud Bonnici years were characterised by political tensions and violence. The deadlock was broken when constitutional amendments were made voted and made effective in January 1987 which guaranteed that the party with an absolute majority of votes would be given a majority of parliamentary seats in order to govern. This paved the way for the return of the [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist Party]] to government later that year.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

The Labour Party performed very badly in the following [[1992 Maltese general election|election in 1992]], losing by nearly 13,000 votes. [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici|Mifsud Bonnici]] resigned due to deteriorating health and on 26 March, Labour elected [[Alfred Sant]] as the new leader.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

===Sant leadership, modernisation, and challenges (1992–2008)===
Sant who won the election for party leader, and then modernized the party, secured [[1996 Maltese general election|a victory at the polls in 1996]]. Under Sant's leadership the party made several changes. The party opened the new Labour Party Headquarters in Hamrun instead of the old Macina in Cottonera. The party also made giant steps in the media by being the first Maltese political party to own its radio and television stations.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

Sant managed to win comfortably the 1996 elections held on 26 October by over 8,000 votes on the Nationalist Party. The 1987 constitutional amendments, which secured the necessary additional seats, had to be used for the second time, having been used for the same time in 1987. This same amendment had to be used a third time in 2008.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

However, trouble was brewing. Mintoff, for reasons known to him alone (within the MLP), started creating problems in Parliament for the one-seat Labour parliamentary majority. In the summer of 1998, Labour lost a division vote on the proposed [[Cottonera]] waterfront project because of Mintoff's renegation on his parliamentary group. This was considered by Prime Minister Sant as a vote of no confidence in his government and informed the then-President of the Republic that he no longer held a parliamentary majority as a result. The President had on various occasions asked Prime Minister [[Alfred Sant]] to try to find a solution for the political crisis created, but when all attempts proved futile, he had no other option but to accept Sant and his government's resignation and a call for [[1998 Maltese general election|early elections]], which were held on 5 September 1998. The Labour Party was defeated with a wide 13,000 vote margin.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

Back in opposition, the party campaigned unsuccessfully against [[European Union|EU]] membership, and the 'NO' camp lost the [[2003 Maltese European Union membership referendum|referendum]] for the ascension of Malta in the European Union on 8 March (although Sant claimed victory) and was again defeated in the general election a month later on 14 April 2003, once more with a 12,000 vote margin. Sant resigned but stood again for party leader, where he was re-elected with more than 65% of the votes.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

In June 2004 the party succeeded in obtaining a relative majority of votes in the elections held to elect the first five Maltese MEPs for the [[European Parliament]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.maltadata.com/mep.htm|title=European Parliament Elections 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040711185846/http://maltadata.com/mep.htm|archive-date=11 July 2004}}</ref> The party elected three of his candidates: [[Joseph Muscat]] (later replaced by [[Glenn Bedingfield]]), [[John Attard Montalto]] and [[Louis Grech]].{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

In 2008 the Labour Party lost for the third consecutive time in the [[2008 Maltese general election|2008 general elections]], obtaining 48.79% share of the vote<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/press_releases/2008/03/pr0453.asp|publisher=Department of Information, Malta|title=General election 2008: Votes Polled during First Count by Party|date=10 March 2008|access-date=23 April 2008|archive-date=19 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419053915/http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/press_releases/2008/03/pr0453.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> and losing the election to the [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist Party]] by just 1,580 votes or 0.5%. Following the loss of the election, Sant resigned as Labour Party leader on 10 March 2008.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

===Muscat leadership (2008–2020)===
[[File:Malta - Valletta - Triq ir-Repubblika+election celebration 01 ies.jpg|thumb|The new flag of the Labour Party.]]
[[File:Malta - Valletta - Pjazza Kastilja+election celebration 08 ies.jpg|thumb|Labourites celebrate after the [[2013 Maltese general election|2013 election]].]]
The first round of the election of the new leader were held on 5 June 2008. Five members contested this election as candidates: [[George Abela]] (a former Deputy Leader), [[Evarist Bartolo]] (a frontbench MP and ex-Minister), [[Marie Louise Coleiro Preca]] (a frontbench MP and former Secretary-General of the Party), [[Michael Falzon (politician, born 1961)|Michael Falzon]] (an MP and Deputy Leader of the Party) and [[Joseph Muscat]] (an MEP). In the first round neither candidate obtained 50%+1 the majority of the votes. So a run up election had to be held on 6 June between the top two candidates who obtained the most votes, [[George Abela]] and [[Joseph Muscat]]. Muscat was elected Labour Party leader, gathering 66.36% of the total votes. He was co-opted in Parliament and appointed [[Malta's Leader of the Opposition|Leader of the Opposition]] on 1 October.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

During an Extraordinary General Conference, held in November 2008, it was decided that the party's official name would be [[Partit Laburista]] instead of its former English name, the Malta Labour Party. The previous emblem was changed, although the symbol of the torch was retained.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

In June 2009, the party garnered 55 percent of the first preference votes in the [[European Parliament election in Malta, 2009|election for the European Parliament]], electing three MEPs who sit with the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]]. This result led to Labour a fourth MEP when the Treaty of Lisbon came into effect and the number of seats allocated to Malta increased from five to six.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

Muscat managed to win comfortably the 2013 elections held on 9 March by over 35,000 votes on the Nationalist Party. The Labour Party won a massive 55% of the votes.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

In the 2014 MEP elections, the Labour Party retained a majority of 34,000 votes (53%), but lost its fourth seat to the [[Nationalist Party (Malta)|Nationalist Party]] candidate Therese Comodini Cachia.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

In 2015, the party was delisted from the [[Socialist International]] for not paying membership fees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/53045/labour_officially_delisted_from_socialist_international|title=Labour officially delisted from Socialist International|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|access-date=13 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030141800/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/53045/labour_officially_delisted_from_socialist_international|archive-date=30 October 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2017, Joseph Muscat was re-elected during the [[2017 Maltese general election|general election]], with Labour appearing to win with a clear landslide victory for the second consecutive time, merely an hour after the vote counting commenced.

Under Muscat's leadership Malta's national deficit was eliminated,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170330/local/surplus-registered-in-government-consolidated-fund.643945|title=First surplus since 1981 registered in government consolidated fund|date=30 March 2017|work=Times of Malta|access-date=11 June 2017|archive-date=17 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917062312/https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170330/local/surplus-registered-in-government-consolidated-fund.643945|url-status=live}}</ref> unemployment decreased to historic lows,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-07-01/local-news/Malta-unemployment-levels-at-a-historic-low-Employment-Minister-Evarist-Bartolo-6736138189 |title=Malta unemployment levels at a 'historic low' – Employment Minister Evarist Bartolo |last=Barry |first=Duncan |date=1 July 2015 |work=The Malta Independent |access-date=12 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013201011/http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-07-01/local-news/Malta-unemployment-levels-at-a-historic-low-Employment-Minister-Evarist-Bartolo-6736138189 |archive-date=13 October 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and an unprecedented period of economic growth occurred.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170129/local/pm-muscat-speaks-of-maltas-economic-miracle.637925 |title=PM Muscat speaks of Malta's 'economic miracle' |last=Borg |first=Jacob |date=29 January 2017 |work=Times of Malta |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129102451/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20170129/local/pm-muscat-speaks-of-maltas-economic-miracle.637925 |archive-date=29 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, he was criticised by figures on both sides of the political spectrum, accused of political opportunism,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120604/local/opposition-has-set-a-new-benchmark-in-political-opportunism.422788 |title=Opposition has set a new benchmark in political opportunism - Gonzi |date=4 June 2012 |work=Times of Malta |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607035659/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120604/local/opposition-has-set-a-new-benchmark-in-political-opportunism.422788 |archive-date=7 June 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> broken promises on [[meritocracy]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/editorial/50993/a_farewell_to_meritocracy#.WT14T-t94kI |title=A farewell to meritocracy |date=24 March 2015 |work=MaltaToday |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512112526/http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/editorial/50993/a_farewell_to_meritocracy#.WT14T-t94kI |archive-date=12 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the environment,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-05-08/local-news/Labour-s-environmental-credentials-the-facts-speak-for-themselves-FAA-6736174006|title=Labour's environmental credentials: 'the facts speak for themselves' – FAA|last=Schembri Orland|first=Kevin|date=8 May 2017|work=The Malta Independent|access-date=12 June 2017|archive-date=18 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718171935/http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-05-08/local-news/Labour-s-environmental-credentials-the-facts-speak-for-themselves-FAA-6736174006|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as corruption allegations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.eu/article/corruption-allegations-threaten-to-wreck-muscats-premiership/ |title=Corruption allegations threaten to wreck Muscat's premiership |last=Cooper |first=Harry |date=26 April 2017 |work=politico.eu |access-date=11 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606084341/http://www.politico.eu/article/corruption-allegations-threaten-to-wreck-muscats-premiership/ |archive-date=6 June 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 1 December 2019, Muscat announced his resignation, to take effect after 12 January 2020,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/12/05/maltas-prime-minister-is-ousted-by-a-murdered-journalists-work|title=Malta's prime minister is ousted by a murdered journalist's work|date=December 2019|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=10 December 2019|archive-date=17 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117091825/https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/12/05/maltas-prime-minister-is-ousted-by-a-murdered-journalists-work|url-status=live}}</ref> due to the [[Maltese protests (2019–present)|2019 Maltese protests]] caused by the murder of anti-corruption journalist and government critic [[Daphne Caruana Galizia]]. Muscat was accused of impeding the investigation. [[Robert Abela]] was elected to replace him, promising continuity with previous policies pursued by the party.

=== Abela leadership (2020–present) ===
As the party held a parliamentary majority at the time of Muscat's resignation, [[Robert Abela]] would become prime minister immediately after, on 13 January 2020.<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 January 2020|title=Malta: Robert Abela elected new PM after crisis over journalist's murder|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51080574|access-date=18 February 2021|archive-date=21 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121163439/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51080574|url-status=live}}</ref> He was recognized as the "continuity" candidate instead of [[Chris Fearne]], emphasizing stability, unity and normality, as opposed to the bolder changes advocated by Fearne.<ref>{{Cite web|title=[ANALYSIS] The Labour contest: Choosing between continuity and change|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/99566/analysis_the_labour_contest_choosing_between_continuity_and_change_|access-date=18 February 2021|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|archive-date=19 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200119011215/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/99566/analysis_the_labour_contest_choosing_between_continuity_and_change_|url-status=live}}</ref>

Abela is considered to be aligned to traditional Labour's values, such as social housing and free medicine for the elderly.<ref>{{Cite news|agency=Associated Press|date=12 January 2020|title=In Malta, Son of Ex-President Is Chosen as Prime Minister (Published 2020)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/12/world/europe/malta-prime-minister-robert-abela.html|access-date=18 February 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030005643/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/12/world/europe/malta-prime-minister-robert-abela.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 2020, Malta registered its first COVID-19 case. Abela was at first reluctant to close the [[Malta International Airport]], retail outlets and the [[Education in Malta|schools]], but felt compelled to do so a few days later as public pressure mounted.<ref>{{Cite web|title=One year of Robert Abela as PM – The Covid-19 pandemic, Joseph Muscat and more - The Malta Independent|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2021-01-10/local-news/One-year-of-Robert-Abela-as-PM-The-Covid-19-pandemic-Joseph-Muscat-and-more-6736230007|access-date=18 February 2021|website=www.independent.com.mt}}</ref>

In April 2020, Prime Minister Abela called for 'national unity' on [[Television Malta]], the country's national broadcasting television. This has been criticized for being partisan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A time that's defining Robert Abela|url=https://theshiftnews.com/2020/04/05/a-time-thats-defining-robert-abela/|access-date=18 February 2021|website=theshiftnews.com|language=en|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923155157/https://theshiftnews.com/2020/04/05/a-time-thats-defining-robert-abela/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2020, Abela stated "that the party will continue to reinvent itself with the introduction of more young people and women at the centre of its decision-making process."<ref>{{Cite web|title='This is a different government from the one back in January' – Robert Abela|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/105899/this_is_a_different_government_from_the_one_back_in_january__robert_abela_|access-date=18 February 2021|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|archive-date=21 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121001814/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/105899/this_is_a_different_government_from_the_one_back_in_january__robert_abela_|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 18 February 2021, Abela announced plans to introduce a law that would end police arrests for those possessing a small amount of cannabis and plants for personal use.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PM plans law banning arrests for cannabis for personal use|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/pm-plans-law-banning-arrests-for-cannabis-for-personal-use.852371|access-date=18 February 2021|website=Times of Malta|date=18 February 2021 |language=en-gb|archive-date=18 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218130931/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/pm-plans-law-banning-arrests-for-cannabis-for-personal-use.852371|url-status=live}}</ref> This bill was passed in December 2021, and Malta became the first country in the European Union to legalise cannabis.<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 December 2021|title=Malta becomes first EU country to legalise cannabis for personal use|url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/12/14/malta-set-to-be-first-eu-country-to-legalise-cannabis-for-personal-use|access-date=15 December 2021|website=euronews|language=en}}</ref>

Abela's leadership was criticised with the number of co-options that had taken place, being deemed as undemocratic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Robert Abela justifies co-option of Oliver Scicluna amid controversy over casual election|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/107090/robert_abela_justifies_cooption_of_oliver_scicluna_amid_controversy_over_casual_election|access-date=24 July 2021|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en}}</ref>

In the [[2022 Maltese general election|2022 general election]], the Labour Party retained its majority in parliament, winning a third consecutive election for the first time since [[1981 Maltese general election|1981]] with 55.11% of the popular vote, the largest share by any party since [[1955 Maltese general election|1955]], and marginally surpassing the 55.04% it scored in [[2017 Maltese general election|2017]]. Voter turnout was 85.6%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Electoral Commission of Malta |url=https://electoral.gov.mt/ElectionResults/General?year=248&v=null |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=electoral.gov.mt}}</ref> Labour's win was attributed to how it maintained Maltese economic prosperity through the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], including keeping unemployment and energy costs low contrary to global trends, and how it tackled corruption and money laundering through rule-of-law reforms.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scicluna |first=Christopher |date=2022-03-27 |title=Malta's prime minister promises humility as Labour claims election victory |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/maltas-labour-claims-victory-parliamentary-election-2022-03-27/ |access-date=2023-03-21}}</ref>

== Election results ==
=== House of Representatives ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Election
! Leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/−
! Rank
! Status
|-
! [[1921 Maltese general election|1921]]
| rowspan="3" |[[William Savona]]
| 4,742
| 23.2
| {{Composition bar|7|32|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{increase}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1924 Maltese general election|1924]]
| 4,632
| 19.2
| {{Composition bar|7|32|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1927 Maltese general election|1927]]
| 5,011
| 14.5
| {{Composition bar|3|32|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{yes2|Coalition}}
|-
! [[1932 Maltese general election|1932]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Paul Boffa]]
| 4,138
| 8.6
| {{Composition bar|1|32|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1939 Maltese general election|1939]]
| 3,100
| 8.8
| {{Composition bar|1|10|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1945 Maltese general election|1945]]
| 19,071
| 76.2
| {{Composition bar|9|10|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 8
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1947 Maltese general election|1947]]
| 63,145
| 59.9
| {{Composition bar|24|40|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 15
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1950 Maltese general election|1950]]
| rowspan="9" |[[Dom Mintoff]]
| 30,332
| 28.6
| {{Composition bar|11|40|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 13
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1951 Maltese general election|1951]]
| 40,208
| 35.7
| {{Composition bar|14|40|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1953 Maltese general election|1953]]
| 52,771
| 44.6
| {{Composition bar|19|40|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 5
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1955 Maltese general election|1955]]
| 68,447
| 56.7
| {{Composition bar|23|40|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1962 Maltese general election|1962]]
| 50,974
| 33.8
| {{Composition bar|16|50|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 7
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1966 Maltese general election|1966]]
| 61,774
| 43.1
| {{Composition bar|22|50|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 6
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1971 Maltese general election|1971]]
| 85,448
| 50.8
| {{Composition bar|28|55|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 6
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1976 Maltese general election|1976]]
| 105,854
| 51.5
| {{Composition bar|34|65|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 6
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1981 Maltese general election|1981]]
| 109,990
| 49.1
| {{Composition bar|34|65|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1987 Maltese general election|1987]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]]
| 114,936
| 48.9
| {{Composition bar|34|69|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1992 Maltese general election|1992]]
| 114,911
| 46.5
| {{Composition bar|31|65|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1996 Maltese general election|1996]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Alfred Sant]]
| 132,497
| 50.7
| {{Composition bar|35|69|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1998 Maltese general election|1998]]
| 124,220
| 47.0
| {{Composition bar|30|65|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2003 Maltese general election|2003]]
| 134,092
| 47.5
| {{Composition bar|30|65|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{steady}}
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2008 Maltese general election|2008]]
| 141,888
| 48.8
| {{Composition bar|34|69|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2013 Maltese general election|2013]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Joseph Muscat]]
| 167,533
| 54.8
| {{Composition bar|39|69|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 5
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[2017 Maltese general election|2017]]
| 170,976
| 55.0
| {{Composition bar|37|67|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[2022 Maltese general election|2022]]
| |[[Robert Abela]]
| 162,707
| 55.1
| {{Composition bar|44|79|{{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
|{{increase}} 7
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|}

=== European Parliament ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Election
! Leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/−
! Rank
! EP Group
|-
![[2004 European Parliament election in Malta|2004]]
| [[Alfred Sant]]
| 118,983
| 48.4
| {{Composition bar|3|5|hex={{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| New
| {{increase}} 1st
| [[Group of the Party of European Socialists|PES]]
|-
![[2009 European Parliament election in Malta|2009]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Joseph Muscat]]
| 135,917
| 54.8
| {{Composition bar|4|6|hex={{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
| rowspan="4" |[[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]]
|-
![[2014 European Parliament election in Malta|2014]]
| 134,462
| 53.3
| {{Composition bar|3|6|hex={{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
|-
![[2019 European Parliament election in Malta|2019]]
| 141,267
| 54.3
| {{Composition bar|4|6|hex={{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
|-
![[2024 European Parliament election in Malta|2024]]
| [[Robert Abela]]
| 117,805
| 45.3
| {{Composition bar|3|6|hex={{party color|Labour Party (Malta)}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
|-
|}

==Party leadership==

===Leaders of the Labour Party===
The post of '''Leader of the Labour Party''' was created in 1928. Before this (1921–28) the post was known as '''President of the Camera del Lavoro (Labour Party)'''.
{| class="sortable wikitable"
!
!
! Name
! Entered office
! Left office
! Length of Leadership
! Date of birth and death
|-
! 1
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:William savona.jpg|60px]] -->
| [[William Savona]]
| 30 August 1925
| 16 August 1927
| 1 year, 11 months, 17 days
| 7 January 1865 – 18 January 1937
|-
! 2
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:Michael Dundon.jpg|60px]] -->
| [[Michael Dundon]] <sup>†</sup>
| 16 August 1927
| 29 November 1928
| 1 year, 3 months, 13 days
| 10 November 1854 – 5 April 1936
|-
! 3
|<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Sir Paul Boffa.jpg|60px]] -->
| [[Paul Boffa]]
| 29 November 1928
| 12 October 1949
| 20 years, 10 months, 13 days
| 30 June 1890 – 6 July 1962
|-
! 4
|<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Dom Mintoff.jpg|60px]] -->
| [[Dom Mintoff]] 
| 16 October 1949
| 22 December 1984
| 35 years, 2 months, 6 days
| 6 August 1916 – 20 August 2012
|-
! 5
|<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.jpg|60px]] -->
| [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]]
| 22 December 1984
| 26 March 1992
| 7 years, 3 months, 4 days
| 17 July 1933 – 5 November 2022
|-
! 6
|<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Dr Alfred Sant.jpg|60px]] -->
| [[Alfred Sant]]
| 26 March 1992
| 10 March 2008
| 15 years, 11 months, 15 days
| 28 February 1948 – present
|-
! 7
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:Charles mangion.jpg|60px]] -->
| [[Charles Mangion]] <sup>†</sup>
| 10 March 2008
| 6 June 2008
| 2 months, 27 days
| 14 November 1952 – present
|-
! 8
|
| [[Joseph Muscat]]
| 6 June 2008
| 12 January 2020
| 11 years, 7 months and 6 days
| 22 January 1974 – present
|-
! 9
|
| [[Robert Abela]]
| 12 January 2020
| Present
| {{age in years, months and days|2020|01|12}}
| 7 December 1977 – present
|}

<sup>†</sup>''Although technically leader of the Labour Party, they only assumed this role because of the resignation of the incumbent leader and were not elected to the post.''

===Deputy leaders of the Labour Party in the Maltese House of Representatives since 1920===
* [[P. Bugelli]] 1920–1925
* [[Michael Dundon]] 1925–1929
* [[Paul Boffa]] 1929–1947
* [[Dom Mintoff]] 1947–1949
* [[Joseph Flores (Maltese politician)|Joseph Flores]] 1949–1955
* [[Ġużè Ellul Mercer]] 1955–1961
* [[Anton Buttigieg]] 1961–1976
* [[Agatha Barbara]] 1976–1981
* [[Wistin Abela]] 1981–1982
* [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]] 1982–1984
* [[Guze Cassar]] 1984–1987
* [[Joseph Brincat]] 1987–1992
* [[George Vella]] 1992–2003
* [[Charles Mangion]] 2003–2008
* [[Angelo Farrugia]] 2008–2012
* [[Louis Grech]] 2012–2017
* [[Chris Fearne]] 2017–2024
* [[Ian Borg]] 2024–Present

===Deputy leaders of the Labour Party Affairs since 1976===
* [[Joseph Brincat]] 1976–1980
* [[Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici]] 1980–1983
* [[Guze Cassar]] 1983-1987
* [[Joe Debono Grech]] 1987–1992
* [[George Abela]] 1992–1998
* [[Joseph Brincat]] 1998–2003
* [[Michael Falzon (politician, born 1961)|Michael Falzon]] 2003–2008
* [[Toni Abela]] 2008–2016
* [[Konrad Mizzi]] 2016
* [[Chris Cardona]] 2016–2020
* [[Daniel Jose Micallef]] 2020–2024
* [[Alex Agius Saliba]] 2024–Present

== See also ==
{{Portal|Malta|Organized labour|Politics|Socialism}}
*[[Sette Giugno]]
*[[Interdict]]
*[[Parliament of Malta]]
*[[European Parliament]]
*[[Prime Minister of Malta]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{official website|https://partitlaburista.org/}}

{{Maltese political parties}}
{{Party of European Socialists}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Labour Party (Malta)| ]]
[[Category:1921 establishments in Malta]]
[[Category:Centre-left parties in Europe]]
[[Category:Labour parties]]
[[Category:Parties represented in the European Parliament]]
[[Category:Party of European Socialists member parties]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1921]]
[[Category:Political parties in Malta]]
[[Category:Pro-European political parties in Malta]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties in Europe]]
[[Category:Socialism in Malta]]