Abela says international situation calls for 'government with a new mandate'

The country needs a government with a new mandate to address the global uncertainty, Robert Abela said on Monday, telling the nation he will be asking the President to dissolve parliament ahead of a May 30 election.

In a pre-recorded speech aired on Monday evening, Abela pointed to “extraordinary international situation” as the reason behind the early elections.

“Our country needs an elected government with a new mandate focused solely on the needs of the country because of the challenges that the context we are in brings,” he said.

He said he had the responsibility to “anticipate what the country needs”. This was a decision he had “put great thought into” over the past several weeks, he said.

“I will advising the president to dissolve parliament and call elections on 30 May,” he said.

Abela framed his decision within the context of the ongoing international energy crisis, with the world “facing the threat that somebody closes the tap on its energy supply”.

While our neighbours are facing energy lockdowns and rising bills, Malta’s strong finances mean the government will continue to shield its citizens from the conflict’s impacts, Abela said.

Referring to recent news that Malta’s deficit had dropped more than initially expected, Abela said his government promised stability.

Malta had successfully built a €250 million buffer for “times of need,” Abela said, adding that the country needed “stability and certainty, more than ever”.

“We have always believed in a progressive economic model and never gave in to pressure to put the weight on you,” Abela added, seemingly in reference to calls for energy subsidies to be slashed.

Abela said a new government would focus on the issue of quality of life, saying “this will be our priority for the coming years”.

He also pledged to hold back from an “electoral auction,” throughout the campaign, with parties attempting to outbid one another with electoral promises.

Abela’s message brings an end to the speculation over an early election that had dominated Maltese politics for the past several weeks.

It will be the first time the country has held a general election in May since 1987, when the election was held on May 9.