As it happened: PN focuses on population while Abela meets 'everyone'

Follow events throughout the day here

Thursday has so far seen the launch of Momentum’s election manifesto with 259 promises, the PN pledged to set up a “population authority”, ADPD focused on animal welfare and Robert Abela made 10 promises to volunteers.

As Day 17 of the election campaign unfolded, we heard the PL leader insist he meets "everyone" after Times of Malta asked him whether he met any person accused of money laundering or contraband.

We followed the campaign trail as it happened throughout the day.

Later on will also be bringing you a full report of this evening's political events. Abela will be in Zebbug and Alex Borg will be introducing candidates of the fourth district in Paola.

Here's a recap of the day's events.

Live blog

Wrapping up here.

6.12pm The live blog ends here today but Times of Malta journalists will be joining Robert Abela and Alex Borg on the campaign trail this evening and reporting from their events in Zebbug and Paola respectively. So keep an eye out for more updates on our homepage.

Alex Borg heads to MCAST

5.25pm The PN leader found some time to visit MCAST in Paola. While there, he said a PN government would give greater autonomy to MCAST so that it can be less dependent on the government.

He also reminded everyone that MCAST was set up by a PN government.

During the visit, Borg was accompanied by candidates Bernice Bonello, Stefan Caruana, Marilena Gauci, Joseph Grech and Justin Schembri.

Alex Borg speaking to students at MCAST. Photo: Partit Nazzjonalista.

Labour pushes back on PN measures

4.50pm Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has just held a news conference where he attempted to pick apart the PN's first-time buyers' pledge. He claims just 750 people will benefit.

Jacob Borg has the story here.

Life imitates Labour

3.13pm There was a moment of de ja vu this morning, when the economy minister launched something that Labour had pledged only days ago for the next legislature.

Minister Silvio Schembri launched the Malta Business Wallet during an event on Thursday. The wallet is supposed to facilitate business and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.

But last Wednesday, Abela pledged that a Labour government would create a “National Business Wallet” that would allow businesses to store documents and licences in one place.

Hospital voting arrangements

2.26pm The Electoral Commission has just published information about special polling days at elderly homes the week of the general election. Registered voters residing at St Vincent de Paul and 34 other homes for the elderly will be able to vote on May 23.

Family members who have the voting documents of residents at these institutions should hand them over to the voters by noon of May 22. On May 23 there will be no visiting hours at these institutions.

For the full list of elderly homes, read more here.

Abela and the alleged fuel smuggler

1.56pm Earlier, Jacob Borg asked Abela whether he had met anyone accused of money laundering or contraband. Here is the full video of that interaction.

Footage: Facebook/Partit Laburista. Edited by Antoine Farrugia Lauri

'MPs should be banned from government jobs'

1.41pm The Malta Chamber has just presented a 144-point list of measures for the next legislature.

Among the measures, the Malta Chamber is calling for a ban on MPs holding government jobs and obligations to disclose conflicts of interest when dealing with parliamentary matters.

"You are either an MP representing the nation, or else you have a job with the government, which can influence your parliamentary work. There needs to be a clear line," the chamber CEO Marthese Portelli said.

Read the full report by Neville Borg here.

Malta Chamber CEO Marthese Portelli speaking on Thursday. Photo: Malta Chamber

Cheap taxis and empty home taxes

1.35pm We have some more information from Momentum's electoral manifesto. A Momentum government (we know, it's a long shot) would subsidise shared taxi rides as an immediate alternative to private car use while taxing vacant homes.

For the shared taxi initiative, Momentum would use existing ride-hailing apps to group commuters into shared vehicles. The government would spend €234 million a year to keep fares low and avoid peak-hour surges.

You can read more about the main pledges in Matthew Bonanno's report here.

Candidate confirmations

1.27pm Some more menial news, unless you're vying for a parliamentary seat. The Electoral Commission has just published a notice for candidates to call at the Electoral Office on Friday to verify how their name and photo will be shown on the ballot paper. Gozo candidates may call at the Electoral Office in Victoria during the same day and hours.

Requests for any objection, addition, deletion or correction on the ballot paper should reach the Electoral Commission in writing by 6pm that day.

Environment groups unamused by PL pledges

1.02pm The Labour Party has made several environmental pledges, but environmental activists are not convinced.

In a statement, several NGOs are saying that Malta has endured years of destructive overdevelopment, which has disfigured towns and green spaces. The pledges to set up new parks are only being introduced at the eleventh hour to compensate for the damage already done, without regulating the excesses of the building industry.

The Labour Party had also pledged that any government-owned land that was “rationalised” and moved into the development zone in 2006 would not be given up for speculation. NGOs are concerned that this can still open development of other kinds on these sites.

Regardless, the NGOs said most rationalisation sites are in private hands anyway and will not be affected by the Labour Party’s pledge.

NGOs are also concerned that the government will start offering land reclamation projects to the private sector, such as with the proposed lido along the Sliema Strand.

“There seems to be no willingness or intention to change course, as the government will continue to put developers’ interests first,” the statement says.

The statement was signed by the Ramblers’ Association of Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta, BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Nature Trust Malta, Wirt Għawdex, Għawdix, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent.

'Gender-balanced candidate lists possible'

12.35pm On Wednesday, we ran a piece by Neville Borg who sifted through the parties' nominees and found that more women will be running for a seat, with the increase entirely driven by a sharp rise in women standing on a Labour ticket. His analysis shows that, on the other hand, women candidates for PN and smaller parties dipped.

The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality believes that the improved gender balance - although limited - proves that it is possible for political parties to attract more women candidates.

For the NCPE, the issue of gender balance in politics is particularly pressing in Malta because while the country’s gender equality situation has advanced in several spheres, it has consistently lagged behind in the sphere of power, and particularly in political representation.

ADPD is the first party to be led by a woman in recent history. Pictured: Sandra Gauci

'I meet everyone': Abela about money launderers

12pm Our journalist Jacob Borg asks Abela whether he has met any person accused of money laundering or contraband, following his claims that Alex Borg's plan for a fixed offshore fuel hub off Hurd’s Bank was inspired by “Malta’s biggest fuel smuggler”.

Abela doesn't deny meeting people accused of money laundering, justifying it as part of his "constituency work".

"I meet with everyone, including prisoners. What distinguishes a person from another is whether they endorse their proposals or discard them.

"What counts is what you do after the meeting," he added.

Photo of Robert Abela addressing the media on Thursday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Momentum promises a true change

11.50am Matthew Bonanno, meanwhile, tells us Momentum has launched its manifesto.

Their manifesto is based on consultation with between 60 and 100 people on each topic. These included experts such as Konrad Neil Gatt and Marco Cremona, and action groups such as ROTA, Solidarjeta, Repubblika, Graffitti, Kolletti and FAA.

Their plan is based on four pillars: a just economy, governance and transparency, a sustainable environment, and a society based on equality.

If you want to know more about the party's 259 promises, take a look here: bidlatavera.com

Abela's 10 promises to volunteers

11:40am Abela makes 10 promises to volunteers:

The government will reinvest the rent income into the voluntary sector
Għaqda Nazzjonali Każini tal-Banda to get financial aid to refurbish premises in Floriana
Simplify the application process for band clubs to organise an event
Table draft law to regulate c 2,700 registered voluntary organisations
Affordable rent for VOs already operating from government premises, while helping others with financial aid to cover rent or buy their own premises
Utility bills financial aid to be extended to all voluntary organisations
New arrangements for pubic service workers who also work with voluntary organisations
Daily €30 (up from €15) subsistence allowance for people who volunteer abroad
Free consultancy for NGOs when applying for EU funds
Risk assessment for VOs' activities in collaboration with OHSA

Abela repeats promises

11.15am So far, Abela has repeated pledges he made earlier in this campaign:

-First-time buyers with a severe disability to get €20,000 to help them buy their first home.

-Carers' grant to be raised to the minimum wage.

-People with a disability who are aged over 23 will get a personalised financial plan drawn up by an expert, to see how much income they need to live a dignified life. The needed financial support will then be given by the government.

Labour holds a presser at Inspire

10.55am Meanwhile, Robert Abela is about to speak at a Labour Party press conference at Inspire. You can follow the conference below.

Carabott and Borg Manché vs Dalli and Attard

10.48am The Broadcasting Authority's political debates, meanwhile, continue tomorrow. The theme for Friday's broadcast has been chosen by the PN: “new breath” (fresh start).

Darren Carabott and Conrad Borg Manché are set to debate Miriam Dalli and Jonathan Attard.

The debate will be moderated by Liam Carter and will be broadcast on TVM and Radju Malta at 9.15pm.

ADPD want a zoo license moratorium

10.43am ADPD launched its own manifesto on Saturday and has spent the past few days breaking down its proposals by theme.

Today, it's focusing on animal welfare. Its candidate in districts 1 and 9, Mark Zerafa, draws a comparison between animal circuses and zoos, saying it is quite contradictory that while the former is illegal, zoos aren't.

The Green Party believes there should be a total moratorium on new licences for zoos, while existing ones should be subject to inspections to ensure that the animals are given the care and medical attention they need and are being kept in the best possible conditions.

The same should apply to amnesties given to people who illegally kept exotic animals at home.

And there should also be harsh fines for anyone caught breeding dogs without a licence.

You can read more about the party's manifesto here.

A 'population authority'

10.12am Here is what the PN has pledged during the conference:

One-stop shop for Maltese and EU citizens, responsible for passports, ID cards, and residence permits.
Another one-stop shop for employers and TCNs, responsible for visas, work permits and residencies.
An authority responsible for population levels.
An AFM-police unit responsible for enforcement and repatriation.
Increased AFM and police presence in Gozo.
Reforming the Immigration Appeals Board.

Alex Borg and Darren Carabott addressing the media on Thursday morning. Photo: Jonathan Borg

PN conference underway

9.58am The Nationalist Party’s conference has kicked off. For now, Alex Borg is just firing off population numbers. You can watch the conference below.

Galdes says been there, done that

9.54am Former housing minister Roderick Galdes, who is not contesting the election after being barred from doing so by the Labour Party, has called out the PN for pledging something that isn’t new at all.

On Wednesday, Alex Borg said that a PN government would cover half the home loan interest of first-time buyers for the first 10 years, helping them save around €46,800.

But Galdes has called him out. He said this is no different to the government’s Equity Sharing Scheme launched in 2019, which covers all the interest up to a maximum of €100,000 for people aged 25 and over, so long as the property value is less than €250,000. The PN did not say whether they will be capping the eligible property value for their own scheme.

University election debate

9.20am We're being told the much-anticipated university election debate is taking place this Monday at 2pm.

The university debates have often kept us entertained, with the 2024 one regaling us with a light-hearted moment when ABBA leader Ivan Grech Mintoff hurled an egg on stage, before storming off.

Sometimes, the debates were quite rowdy.

Our journalist Emma Borg has already visited MCAST and the University of Malta to ask students what they care about, what they want to stop seeing in politics and whether they plan to vote on May 30.

Unfortunately, it looks like some feel forced to choose between what they see as the lesser of two evils.

Voter Voice: Youth edition Video: Kristina Vella and Antoine Farrugia Lauri

Momentum wants builders to shift to quieter, safer machinery

9.10am But before it launches the manifesto, Momentum is already busy sending press releases about a shift to quieter, safer machinery for excavation and construction.

The party is calling for the immediate adoption of alternative construction methods to fight what it describes as the rising national mental health distress and unnecessary risk exposure to workers.

Its candidate in the 7th and 10th district, Pierre Schembri-Wismayer insists the technology already exists - it is time to just prioritise health over outdated, harmful methods.

Momentum to launch manifesto

9.05am Today Momentum, which is contesting the elections for the first time, is also expected to unveil its full electoral manifesto.

It’s titled Manifesto for Just and Beautiful Malta.

Morning press conferences

9am As we gear up for another day of promises, the main political parties have announced they'll be holding a morning press conference.

PN's will focus on "the population" and will be held at 9.30am at the party's HQ.

At PL's event, Robert Abela will address the media at 10am at Inspire, in Marsascala.

We will keep you updated about both events here and with a separate, more detailed report by our journalists.

District profiles

8.50am As parties now focus on promoting their candidates, we thought of making it easier for voters to understand who is contesting their district.

Daniel Ellul will be providing a district-by-district look at the key electoral battles, the candidates to watch and the issues shaping voters’ choices.

We start with District 1.

Good morning

8.45am Welcome to today's live blog.

We're halfway through the electoral campaign, and fatigue has started to kick in, but our journalist Nicole Meilak has managed to keep us entertained with her daily light-hearted round-up of the major headlines.

You can read her latest edition of Election Desk here.