Expelled by Imperium Europa in 2021, Cross returns to lead far-right party
Eman Cross elected party leader, five years after expulsion due to 'bad character and aggressive behaviour'
A man who was once permanently expelled from Imperium Europa's activities has been elected leader of the far-right group.
The party announced the election of Cross on its TikTok account late on Sunday.
Cross took over from Terrence Portelli, who resigned on Saturday "due to personal reasons and time constraints".
Last year, Cross pleaded guilty to breaching bail conditions when he was caught in a Ħamrun bar by the police when he should have been at home.
According to his bail conditions handed down in April 2024, he was meant to follow a curfew between 7pm and 7am.
Three years earlier, in 2022, Cross pleaded not guilty to threatening his mother and her partner. However, during that same arraignment, he admitted to breaching the conditions of a probation order and unlawfully possessing a weapon. That court had placed Cross under a Treatment Order to overcome his alcohol problem.
Back then, Cross described himself as the leader and founder of Malta Right Wing Youths - the youth wing of the Imperium Europa, a far-right party founded by Norman Lowell.
But in 2021, he had been banned from Imperium Europa events due to behavioural issues.
Lowell, who was still Imperium Europa leader at the time, had told Facebook followers on July 30 that "following his temporary suspension, the party took the decision to permanently expel Mr Eman Cross from attending any of its activities due to bad character and aggressive behaviour".
Post by Norman Lowell on Facebook in 2021.Lowell, 79, continued to run for election and lead Imperium Europa as party leader until February 2025, obtaining just over 7,000 votes in the 2024 MEP elections.
Portelli, who also ran for MEP in 2024 and obtained 158 votes, took over from Lowell as party leader before resigning and making way for Cross to succeed him.