Malta

House of Representatives

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Unicameral
IPU membership
Yes
»

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.

Background

Election date(s)
26 Mar 2022
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
20 Feb 2022
Timing of election
Early elections
Expected date of next elections
31 Mar 2027
Number of seats at stake
79
Scope of elections
Full renewal

Voter turnout

Registered voters
355,075
Voters
304,050
Voter turnout
85.6%

Results

About the election

The Labour Party (LP), led by Prime Minister Robert Abela, won a third consecutive term in office, defeating the Nationalist Party (PN), led by Mr. Bernard Grech. Due to the new gender mechanism, a total of 22 women were elected to the House of Representatives, which now comprises 79 members, up from 68 (see note). The percentage of women increased to 27.84% (up from 15.38% in 2017). The new voting age, which was lowered from 18 to 16 years old in May 2018, was applied for the first time in the 2022 elections.

Prime Minister Abela, son of former President George Abela, succeeded Mr. Joseph Muscat (LP) who resigned in January 2020. The country’s economy remained stable despite the global COVID-19 pandemic. The country also saw record low unemployment. On 20 February 2022, Prime Minister Abela asked President George Vella to dissolve parliament in view of early elections to be held on 26 March – nearly three months earlier than constitutionally required.

Note:

The statutory number of seats in the House of Representatives is 65. Two seats were created following the general election in accordance with a corrective mechanism so that the number of seats won by each party reflects the number of votes they obtained. Twelve seats for women were added in accordance with the Constitution of Malta and the General Elections (Amendment) Act, 2021 (Act No. XX of 2021). See the note on the distribution of seats according to sex below.

Number of parties winning seats
2
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
55.7%
Alternation of power after elections
No
Number of parties in government
1
Names of parties in government
Labour Party (LP)

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group Total Elected Gender mechanism
Labour Party (LP) 44 38 6
Nationalist Party (PN) 35 29 6
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
63
Number of women elected
4

Notes:

A total of 67 MPs were elected at the March 2022 election, of which four (6%) were women. After the casual elections* held on 7 and 12 April 2022, 10 out of the 67 members (14.9%) were women.

- In accordance with the Constitution of Malta and the General Elections (Amendment) Act, 2021 (Act No. XX of 2021, enacted by the President on 20 April 2021), the number of MPs must increase by up to 12 if less than 40 per cent of the MPs that are returned at a given general election and subsequent casual elections** belong to “the underrepresented sex”*** as defined in the Act.

- Consequently, 12 more women were added, bringing the total number of members in the new legislature to 79, of whom 22 were women (excluding the male Speaker who was re-elected on 7 May 2022).

* See the Note on the parties or coalitions winning seats.

** These measures will remain in force for 20 years from the date on which they come into force, unless they are revoked or re-enacted (with or without modification) by means of an Act of Parliament according to the provisions of the Maltese Constitution.

*** The group includes people who identified as gender neutral in their official documentation.

Percentage of women elected
6.0%
Women Directly Elected
10
Women in other categories
12
Other notes on the elections

Note on the parties or coalitions winning seats

- The statutory number of seats in the House of Representatives is 65. Two seats were created following the general election in accordance with a corrective mechanism so that the number of seats won by each party reflects the number of votes they obtained. The distribution of these 67 seats is shown in the “Elected” column above.

- The “Gender mechanism” column refers to the number of seats that were added (after casual elections*) in favour of a group defined in law as “the underrepresented sex” – in this case, women. (The mechanism is triggered if less than 40 per cent of the MPs that are returned at a general election and subsequent casual elections belong to one gender and/or identify as gender-neutral).

- The “Total” column refers to the final composition of parliament after applying the gender quota mechanism in accordance with Act No. XX of 2021.

* Candidates in general elections may contest no more than two districts. If they are elected in both, they must choose one district to represent after the elections. Seats vacated by candidates simultaneously elected in two districts are filled by "casual elections" prior to the first session of the House of Representatives.

Sources

New legislature

Total number of men after the election
57
Total number of women after the election
22
Percentage of women after the election
27.8%
First-term parliamentarians
34
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
43.0%
Date of the first session
07 May 2022

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
Angelo Farrugia (Male)
Date of birth: 29 Dec 1955
Date of election
07 May 2022

Historical data for IPU membership

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Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No