A legacy built on results

There’s a narrative – popular in certain partisan circles – that attempts to reduce the rise and success of the Labour Party to little more than fortunate timing. This is evidenced by the article penned by Eddie Aquilina and published in Times of Malta (July 27).

This narrative insists that previous leader Joseph Muscat, for instance, won not through vision, competence, or results, but because his opponents were simply tired and weak. This view is simplistic and blind to the evidence that Malta, under Muscat’s leadership, experienced an economic and social transformation that was anything but accidental.

Let’s be clear: there is no such thing as ‘luck’ in the world of politics. Countries do not reduce record unemployment by luck. Families do not enjoy rising incomes and better living standards because of ‘timing’. Infrastructure doesn’t build itself. Better pensions don’t materialise through wishful thinking.

These are the results of decision-making, of leadership, and of political courage.

Under Muscat’s leadership Malta’s economy was not only brought back from the brink, but it boomed. Malta’s economy became one of the best in Europe, unemployment dropped to all-time lows, and GDP growth consistently exceeded the EU average.  These are facts backed by Eurostat and international economic watchdogs. Foreign investment surged, new sectors flourished (particularly in technology and financial services), and tourism reached record-breaking highs.

Far from simply inheriting a “tilting political field,” Muscat built a model of economic growth that created real results. Labour’s revolution gave rise to policies that were aimed at encouraging employment, supporting businesses, and modernising the country’s infrastructure. It wasn’t a change of faces. It was a change of priorities. And it worked.

Muscat’s government worked with a clear principle: prosperity must be shared. While critics were busy dissecting slogans and personalities, the Labour government was ensuring that pensioners received higher pensions and that vulnerable families were supported.

Social services were expanded. The nation benefitted from free childcare for working parents empowered families and helped thousands of women return to the workforce. No one could call Malta “lucky” for becoming a global leader in progressive reforms after civil liberties like marriage equality were introduced.

Responding to the needs of actual people and making noticeable changes in their lives was more important than merely “reading the room”.

A decade before, Malta’s political climate was one of stagnation and status quo. Muscat made change happen.

Under his tenure, Malta embarked on ambitious infrastructure upgrades, from roads to schools to hospitals.

Major investment poured into the country, including the expansion of the aviation, maritime, and construction sectors. Malta was no longer just ticking along.

Joseph Muscat’s government worked with a clear principle: prosperity must be shared- John Grech

These developments laid the groundwork for future administrations to continue building upon, and none of them happened by coincidence. They required planning, execution, and the courage to govern beyond short-term popularity.

Critics underestimated Muscat before he took the helm of the Labour Party. They underestimated him during his premiership, as they focused on his media skills instead of his policy record. Over half a decade after stepping down, critics continue to make the same mistake and continue to discredit his achievements rather than admit his effectiveness.

But political leadership is measured in results. And Malta’s record low unemployment, rising wages, reduced poverty, record economic growth, and expanded rights for all citizens speak for themselves.

Some find it convenient to paint Muscat’s leadership as a triumph of style over substance, but that ignores the real-world impact his government had on Malta’s economy and those that needed it the most in society.

His critics fail to acknowledge that his administration did the heavy lifting so that Malta could start thinking beyond survival.

While past governments had their own achievements, Muscat’s premiership marked a shift from managing decline to engineering growth. The electorate rewarded this with record-breaking mandates.

To say that the previous leader simply surfed into Castille on a wave of discontent is to deny the immense work his administration accomplished. It is to ignore the improvements in people’s daily lives.

The Labour Party did not just fill a vacuum, but it rewrote what Maltese governance could look like in the 21st century. It wasn’t luck.

Today the Labour government marches on and continues to build on these foundations but also learns from any shortcomings.

Under Robert Abela’s leadership, Malta has continued to reach even greater heights; with sustained economic growth, record-low unemployment, targeted environmental and digital strategies, and an ongoing commitment to social inclusion and investment in future generations.

Abela’s governance has shown that continuity doesn’t mean complacency. It means taking what worked, improving where necessary, and pushing forward with a clear vision for the country.

The strong economic fundamentals, inclusive policies, and stability we enjoy today were not handed to us by fate or by chance. They were built deliberately and effectively.

History doesn’t remember slogans. It remembers results.

John Grech is the international secretary of the Labour Party.