The 2022 general election campaign ended on Thursday with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition appearing in final rallies.
These were the day’s salient election-related events.
• Prime Minister Robert Abela addresses a cheering crowd which packed the MFCC in Ta’Qali, telling them that Labour was the future.
• PN leader Bernard Grech addresses an enthusiastic crowd at Palace square, Valletta.
• New, easier entry requirements for the Junior College are announced. The PN says this is a new low by Labour to win votes.
• PN leader Bernard Grech allows Times of Malta to record a ‘fly on the wall’ feature of his typical day on the campaign trail. The campaign was exciting, he says, but he was not prepared for the primadonnas.
• Bernard Grech says he will seek re-election to the helm of the PN in a leadership vote required by the party if it loses the election.
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Read past blogs: Day one | day two | day three | day four | day five | day eight | day nine | day 10 | day 11 | day 12 | day 15 | day 16 | day 17 | day 18 | day 19 | day 22 | day 23 | day 24 | day 25 | day 26 | day 29 | day 30 | day 31
Live blog
Blog ends
8.36pm Thank you for having joined us as we followed the twists and turns of the electoral campaign over the past 32 days. We will be reporting the results of the general election as soon as they are known on Sunday.
Grech: Thank you, it's been a pleasant five weeks
Bernard Grech is speaking in Valletta. He too thanks his supporters and amid singing of Nazzjonalisti, Nazzjonalisti said these had been a pleasant five weeks of campaigning during which he met all sort of people.
"You know our vision of the future, we showed you that we were well prepared, costings and all, and we will keep our word, always," he says.
On Saturday, he says, people will need to decide whether they want to say Issa Daqshekk (enough is enough) to abuse of power and start a new future.
Abela gets emotional as he thanks supporters, wife and daughter
8.13pm The prime minister is addressing the Labour crowd, telling them that this is the time to set a confident future for the country. It will not always be a bed of roses, he says, 'but we will turn every challenge into an opportunity'.
His speech is interrupted by chants of 'Viva l-Labour, Viva L-Labour, Hej'.
He thanks supporters for their support to him and his family and also thanks them for their pride in the country. He also thanks his wife Lydia and their daughter, Giorgia Mae, shedding a couple of tears as the crowd applauds and sings.
He then settles back to his political speech, outlining the Labour promises and saying the PN would take the country back to the past. He calls for a strong vote for Labour for a strong, confident Malta.
Abela consulted daughter about removing homework
8pm Lydia Abela reveals in a video message about family life during the campaign that the prime minister asked their 10-year-old daughter about the PL proposal to remove homework. She welcomed it initially, then asked if that was the way to go. Who said there was no consultation?
Spanish prime minister endorses Abela
7.26pm Socialist Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez endorses Robert Abela in a video message at the Labour activity in Ta'Qali, praising him for the way he handled the COVID-19 and the economy.
Watch: Speeches and a musical end to Labour's campaign
6.52pm The Labour Party is holding a concert at the MFCC to end its campaign. Prime Minister Robert Abela will address the thousands packed under the tent at Ta'Qali, then dash off to Brussels for an EU summit. Other speakers include party president Ramona Attard anddeputy leader Daniel Micallef.
Children, by Robert Miles, blares from their loudspeakers. It too harks back to earlier election campaigns. Labour favourite Mary Spiteri headlines the singers.
Watch: Enthusiastic PN supporters gather in Valletta
6.15pm Flag-waving PN supporters are gathering at Palace Square in Valletta for the final party rally of the electoral campaign.
The song 'We take the Chance' by Modern Talking blares out. It was the campaign song in 1998, when the PN won the general election after just two years in opposition. Polls show it will be a Labour crowd celebrating at the same place as the new prime minister is sworn in on Monday morning.
The speakers tonight will be Martina Caruana who heads political research in the PN, general secretary Michael Piccinino and PN leader Bernard Grech.
Grech lets us in
5.50pm PN leader Bernard Grech accepted our invitation to join him on the election campaign trail... starting from his Mosta home and all the way to Gozo.
We also extended the same invitation to Prime Minister Robert Abela but it was declined.
You can watch the feature by Mark Laurence Zammit and Karl Andrew Micallef here.
ADPD says it will keep its distance from big business
4.30pm ADPD says in its last campaign press conference that it will keep its distance from big business “to ensure that ethics in public life is always upheld".
Party leader Carmel Cacopardo and his deputy Mario Mallia said all politicians should work to clean up public life.
"Members of Parliament should be the political sweepers, determined to clean, safeguard the integrity of public life and ensure that the necessary decisions are taken without undue delay."
Rosianne Cutajar's 'serious breach'
3.45pm Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar has been found to be in “serious breach” of ethics rules governing the conduct of MPs in the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly.
It comes after Times of Malta revealed last year how Cutajar received a €9,000 “gift” from murder suspect Yorgen Fenech, a few weeks after she flew to the Strasbourg assembly to give a speech downplaying secret company 17 Black and other government corruption scandals.
Will this dent Cutajar's bid for re-election or actually give her a boost among the party faithful?
Peppi's advice
3.15pm Popular presenter Peppi Azzopardi has weighed in on the election campaign with a seven-minute vlog post. Precipitating the usual barrage of insults, Azzopardi makes it clear from the outset that he campaigned against both Labour and Nationalist governments in the past, citing several examples since the 1980s.
But his parting shot is clear: it is a foregone conclusion that Labour will win the election but urged those who plan to abstain to use their heads to try reduce the forecast huge PL majority which would only result in an arrogant government.
A government 'hunting' for votes
2.30pm That's what an eNGO has accused the Labour government of doing after plans were revealed to allow spring hunting moratorium for turtle dove and create a "loophole" in the law.
And this comes after the NGO said it found the biggest bird trapping site in Malta.
Grech would recontest leadership race
1.40pm During a press conference in Valletta this afternoon, PN leader Bernard Grech reiterated that the only poll that counted was the final electoral result.
The PL is on track to win the election by 39,000 votes according to a l-Orizzont poll released Thursday.
But during his final press conference for this electoral campaign, ahead of a mass rally in Valletta, Grech also hinted he would stay on as party leader should the electoral result not be a favourable one.
“If I feel that I still have something to give to the party, I will continue to offer my services after the election," he told our reporter Jessica Arena.
The progressives' 'minifesto'
1.30pm Volt Malta's two candidates, Alexia DeBono (districts 8 and 9) and Thomas Kassandra Mallia (districts 10 and 11) have published a bite-sized version of their manifesto, aptly called 'minifesto', which you can access here.
In the meantime, they're urging the electorate to trust them with their vote on Saturday, noting that Volt represents a voice that was once unrepresented.
"By voting us you gain a voice for true progressive values in parliament. By voting for Volt you encourage a shift away from the status quo and challenge the powers that be. By voting for Volt you get a clear plan of action with representatives that embody that plan and not simply posture to it."
Alexia DeBono and Kassandra Mallia.Who should I vote for?
1.20pm With a few hours left for candidates to make their case, so far today we've heard from former MPs about why people on Saturday should vote for ADPD or new PN candidates. We've also heard from Cassola why people should strengthen the opposition benches.
If you're still set on voting PL or PN, we've summarised the two main parties' key proposals and compared them here.
Have you seen our interview with Abela?
1pm Neither have we, because it didn't happen.
During this campaign, Abela and Grech have both been invited by Times of Malta for a one-on-one interview as well as a feature about a day in their life. The Nationalist Party leader accepted both invitations, but Abela failed to do so.
In fact, Abela has refused repeated invitations to sit for an interview with Times of Malta for more than 26 months since becoming prime minister.
In the coming hours, we will be publishing our feature about a day spent with Grech on the campaign trail.
In the meantime, you can watch the Abela interview that never happened here.
Mark Laurence Zammit during the interview that never happened.'Vote Cassola to send a message'
12.30pm Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has made an appeal for voters to strengthen the opposition benches by voting in people like himself and the ADPD.
He says the result of the election is "known" with Robert Abela set to be the Prime Minister for the next five years.
Cassola lists a series of election and pre-election scandals surrounding Abela such as his ODZ villa in Zejtun, and business deals with alleged criminals. He lists Labour scandals over the past five years, from the Panama papers, passport sales, Vitals hospitals deal, Electrogas and Montenegro.
"With a Prime Minster like this, who do you want in opposition? The Nationalist Party alone, a broken, weak and divided Nationalist Party?"
His pitch: vote Cassola to send a clear message to the PL and PN to show you want things to change.
Marlene Farrugia: Vote ADPD, or new PN candidates
12.20pm As candidates scramble to scrape as many votes as they can, MP Marlene Farrugia, who will not be contesting this election, has added her voice to those urging people to vote for ADPD... or a new PN.
In a rather grim post ahead of the "biggest Labour win and the lowering of the last slab on Malta's and Gozo's grave", she warns people that on Saturday they will be casting their ballots in the name of future generations.
They will also be casting their vote in the name of the historical and natural heritage, she adds.
"On Saturday you will choose whether to vote according to the propaganda and the €100 they gave you to buy you out so that they can continue benefitting big time, or according to what you're seeing going on around you and experiencing first hand.
"In short, your decision will either be based on your own wise judgment or the millions of euros they spent from the country's coffers to convince you that your suffering is not real," she told her Facebook followers.
A massive Labour victory would translate into more mudslinging, theft, destruction and scandals, and less power to your voice and vote, she warned.
Bernard Grech press conference in Valletta
12.15pm Grech is addressing what is probably the last PN press conference for this campaign.
Former PN MP: I will vote ADPD, PN/PL will implode
11.05am Jean Pierre Farrugia has urged the public to turn up to vote, as abstaining would only mean turning a blind eye to the corruption.
Dr Jean Pierre FarrugiaHowever, the former PN MP said voting Nationalist will only perpetuate the “stagnant fossilised duopoly” for a further generation.
“Once Labour's power of incumbency is set to win anyway, better to at least start the process of having one of the two political parties dismantle. And in no time, I am confident the Labour Party will start to implode as well. Like the village band clubs' rivalry, this is not about music any more. This is tribalism. As soon as one tribe moves on, the other will have no raison d'être and follow suit,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Farrugia, a doctor, said the PN and PL have been on life-support machines long enough, persisting through the support of “thousands of sheep who are unable to see the wood for the trees and a pack of wolves who have made us such a corrupt nation”.
And this is why he will be voting for Alternattiva, the same party he first voted for in the last MEP elections.
Farrugia retired from politics in 2013 after serving for decades in the Nationalist Party.
The way independent media see it
11am As expected, with the election campaign coming to a close today, the independent media's editorials also hone in on what Times of Malta calls "one of the most apathetic campaigns in recent history".
In its editorial, Times of Malta questions how we could have come to the tail end of a campaign with rarely any references to the war in Ukraine, the spiralling cost of living or Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder.
It warns that another huge majority for PL would just spawn a more arrogant government that would allow a repeat of the wrongs which took place on its watch.
The Malta Independent meanwhile acknowledges that the PN has been unable to present itself as an alternative and urges the electorate to at least vote for politicians whose track record is clean.
On the other hand, the MaltaToday has a warning for PL itself. Whatever the result, it should be a lesson in humility: "Labour could learn from its predecessors in power: hubris will be its downfall if it treats the result with cavalier disdain".
Do you know your district's candidates?
10.40am We have just published the 13th and final article in our series about the districts. Take a look at your district's candidates here:
District 1 - The election's barometer
District 2 - Labour’s red fortress
District 3 - Labour Party candidates to fight it out
District 4 - Battle for the votes of Mizzi and Parnis
District 5 – Abela and Grech face off in a district of heavyweights
District 6 – where will Robert Abela’s votes go?
District 7 – A dominant Ian Borg
District 8 – the largest number of candidates
District 9 – PN voters spoilt for choice
District 10 - Elusive 4th seat in a blue fortress
District 12 – How will PN fare without the party leader?
District 13 – Will it be another close contest in Gozo?
Last chance to collect voting document
10.20am It's a day of 'lasts'. Today is also the last day you will be able to collect your document if you want to participate in the voting process on Saturday.
You can collect the document from the electoral commission’s office at the Naxxar counting complex (ex-trade fairgrounds) or from the ID cards office in Saint Francis Square, Victoria, if you're registered in Gozo.
You have until 1pm to do so. Otherwise you can also drop by between 3pm and midnight.
Take your ID card with you.
The final 'punches'
10am By now you've probably either watched the final debate between the leaders of the two major parties or read enough about it to feel like you did.
But did you know that Abela left Grech waiting for a good 15 minutes, or that by the end of the debate, both were talking beyond their allotted time?
Our reporter Ivan Martin reviews the leaders' performance here.
The 'final' polls
9am Both Bernard Grech and Robert Abela have insisted throughout the campaign that the survey that counts is that of March 26. However, till then we have to rely on polls predicting Saturday's outcome.
And as things stand, it looks like we might be in for a repeat of the 2017 election, when the gap stood at 35,000 votes.
According to statistician and PL pollster Vincent Marmará, Labour is on track to win the election by 39,000 votes despite voter turnout dropping to a record low.
The poll forecasts a 55.9% vote share for Abela’s party, versus 42.8% for the Nationalist Party. His prediction closely mirrors the result forecast by a Times of Malta poll published last week.
MaltaToday is meanwhile predicting that the Labour Party is ahead of the Nationalist Party with almost nine points: by 8pm yesterday, PL had 53.3% of the votes and the PN at 44.7%.
What's on today?
8.45am Independent candidate Arnold Cassola is set to address the media in front of Parliament, in Valletta, at noon.
ADPD will close off its electoral campaign at 3pm in Ġnien Indipendenza, Sliema, near the colourful mural that has been set up in memory of Paulina Dembska.
Both major parties have scheduled a mass rally for later in the evening.
PN's rally will kick at 6pm in St George's Square, Valletta, while PL's will be held at MFCC in Ta' Qali at the same time.
Last day of electoral campaigning
8.30am Good morning and welcome to the last day of electoral campaigning.
Tomorrow is meant to be a day of silence, as voters 'reflect' on the choice they face on Saturday. We're not sure how this is going to work out in a world dominated by social media.
The cessation of electoral activity 24 hours before voting day is not a custom but the law. According to the General Election Act of 1991, anyone convicted of breaching the ban is liable to a maximum fine of €1,164 and up to six months imprisonment.
But until then, they are free to campaign as much as they want.