No district will see exactly the same MPs elected as in 2017, meaning that Parliament could look significantly different to how it looked after the last general election.
Malta goes to the polls on 26 March, and with the candidates list now out and confirmed, The Malta Independent on Sunday has taken a deep-dive into who is recontesting, who isn’t, and who could be poised to replace them.
One particular factor that has to be kept in mind is that apart from the 65 seats available, there could be adjustments to allow for proportional representation. Added to this, women candidates might not make it among the five elected from each district but, again, the law will allow for more women to be elected as part of a mechanism for better gender balance.
District 1:
Elected in 2017: Aaron Farrugia, Jose Herrera, Deo Debattista (PL); Mario De Marco, Claudio Grech (PN)
The first district ought to be somewhat straightforward. Out of the five elected to Parliament in 2017, only one – PN MP Claudio Grech – will not be recontesting the election this year.
The remaining four are all firmly established candidates within the districts and one would expect them all to be re-elected.
On who could replace Claudio Grech, Paula Mifsud Bonnici is a strong possibility: she received 2,000 first count votes in 2017, only 606 less than Grech himself. Valletta minority leader Christian Micallef however is also popular, particularly in the capital city – he received 1,145 first count votes in the 2019 local council election, a whopping 70% of all of the party’s votes on the locality.
There is the possibility that someone like Aaron Farrugia on the PL’s side, who is contesting on two districts and may get elected on both, would make way for someone to be elected via a casual election.
In that case, candidates such as Pieta mayor Keith Tanti, Andy Ellul – who is already an MP, and Ray Abela may be in a favourable position to take his place.
District 2:
Elected in 2017: Joseph Muscat, Helena Dalli, Joe Mizzi, Chris Agius (PL); Stephen Spiteri (PN) – Casual election: Glenn Bedingfield (PL).
The second district will be an intriguing one from the Labour Party’s perspective.
Joseph Muscat and Helena Dalli will of course not be seeking re-election, Joe Mizzi – who has been an MP since 1987 – was sidelined from Cabinet soon after Robert Abela took power, and Chris Agius was fourth best out of all of those.
Abela himself has taken Muscat’s place on the ballot sheet in this district, but there are a number of other candidates who will be vying for the remaining places.
Neither Mizzi nor Agius’ seats are guaranteed, but they will be banking on their familiarity with people on the ground over the years to see them through.
They will have stiff competition though from other candidates: three more Ministers in the form of Carmelo Abela, Byron Camilleri, and Clyde Caruana are contesting this district, as are MPs Glenn Bedingfield and Oliver Scicluna.
On the PN’s side, there is no reason to expect the party to elect more than one candidate from here, and there is even less reason not to expect that that person will be Stephen Spiteri, who retains the respect of voters on both sides, again.
District 3:
Elected in 2017: Chris Fearne, Carmelo Abela, Helena Dalli, Silvio Grixti (PL); Mario Galea (PN) – Casual election: Jean Claude Micallef (PL).
This is another interesting district with many possibilities.
On the PL’s side, Helena Dalli and Silvio Grixti will not be seeking re-election, which could open the way for candidates such as Jean Claude Micallef – who was elected in Dalli’s stead when she left for Europe, Ray Abela, Andy Ellul, and Alicia Bugeja Said to make their mark.
Ministers Owen Bonnici and Carmelo Abela are also contesting on this district, as are two former MEP candidates in the form of James Grech and Joseph Sammut.
For the PN meanwhile, Mario Galea will not be recontesting, and the party will surely be harbouring hope of winning votes in this district – particularly after the Marsascala marina fiasco. This being said, it would still be a shock if the party were to win more than one seat here.
Stephen Spiteri is the highest profile candidate on the PN ballot sheet here, along with Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici. Marsascala minority leader John Baptist Camilleri may get some votes over his handling of the marina project, while the party has newer candidates such as former police officer Mary Muscat and Leone Sciberras contesting on this district as well.
District 4:
Elected in 2017: Chris Fearne, Konrad Mizzi, Silvio Parnis, Byron Camilleri (PL); Jason Azzopardi (PN) – Casual election: Etienne Grech (PL) – Constitutional procedure: Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici (PN)
Again there are a number of vacant seats to be filled here, with Konrad Mizzi, Silvio Parnis, and Etienne Grech all not recontesting on this district.
Jonathan Attard and Oliver Scicluna – two new MPs – are well placed to capitalise on these vacancies, while new candidates lawyers Chris Bonett and Amanda Spiteri Grech have also been hard on the campaign trail.
The PN’s side is intriguing. The fourth district is Jason Azzopardi’s home district – but it will be intriguing to see if his firm opposition of Adrian Delia as party leader, someone who managed to get the backing of those who reside in the South, will damage him on the ballot sheet.
If it does, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, who ranked second to Azzopardi in 2017, might take advantage; but Mark Anthony Sammut has grown significantly in stature over the past five years, and could win that seat for himself.
District 5:
Elected in 2017: Joseph Muscat, Owen Bonnici, Julia Farrugia Portelli (PL); Toni Bezzina, Hermann Schiavone (PN) – Casual election: Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi (PL).
For the PL, the fifth district could be interesting.
Former PM Joseph Muscat is the only one elected there not to be re-contesting in 2017, and he has been replaced on the ballot sheet by his successor Robert Abela.
Owen Bonnici and Julia Farrugia Portelli are both recontesting here, as is Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi – who was elected via a casual election when Muscat made way.
However, with them on the ballot sheet is star Minister Miriam Dalli. Rather than seeing one of the above missing out, the PL’s intention here is surely to push the district to a 4-1 seat majority in their favour – something they only missed out on by 186 votes in 2017.
Aiming to avert that, the PN will have party leader Bernard Grech contesting on this district. He’s replaced Hermann Schiavone, who will not be recontesting. Toni Bezzina, who was the firm favourite for PN voters in this district in 2017 will be recontesting.
Other than Bezzina however, the PN is presenting a largely new ballot sheet: Stanley Zammit is the only familiar face from 2017, with Francine Farrugia, Stefan Caruana, and Owen Sciberras all new candidates.
District 6:
Elected in 2017: Silvio Schembri, Robert Abela, Roderick Galdes (PL); Clyde Puli, Ryan Callus (PN) – Casual election: Rosianne Cutajar (PL).
The most obvious difference from those elected in 2017 from the sixth district is the lack of Robert Abela on the ballot sheet. This is his home district, but he has opted to use his weight as party leader elsewhere in 2022.
Rosianne Cutajar, who was elected by casual election in 2017, is best placed to be elected instead, though Transport Minister Ian Borg is likely to gain many votes as well.
On the PN’s side, Clyde Puli – a long-time MP from here – will not be contesting the election. MP Ryan Callus is expected to retain his seat, though a lot has been done to propel Qormi councillor Jerome Caruana Cilia and Alessia Psaila Zammit into the limelight in recent weeks and months.
District 7:
Elected in 2017: Ian Borg, Edward Scicluna, Silvio Schembri (PL); Beppe Fenech Adami, Jean Pierre Debono (PN) – Casual election: Godfrey Farrugia (PD), Gavin Gulia (PL, resigned same day)
The 7th district isn’t something which you can really call a battleground district, with the PL winning the district with a reasonable level of comfort in 2017.
On the PL’s part, both Ian Borg and Silvio Schembri – two of the PL’s most prominent ministers – will be re-contesting, and they are joined by two other known quantities in the form of Aaron Farrugia and Julia Farrugia Portelli on the ballot sheet as well.
Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, the popular PL Zebbug mayor, is also on the ballot sheet here and may make it to Parliament through a casual election if someone of the heavyweights had to give up their seat.
Meanwhile for the PN, Beppe Fenech Adami will not be contesting on this district, having been moved to the ninth district at the last minute.
Adrian Delia is the most prominent candidate, but well known MPs Ryan Callus, Ivan Bartolo, and Edwin Vassallo are all contesting here as well – although it isn’t the home district for any of these candidates.
Charles Azzopardi is one notable new candidate on the PN ballot sheet: he used to be the mayor of Rabat representing the PL, but swapped sides a couple of years ago after being told he would not be allowed to recontest the local council elections by the party.
District 8:
Elected in 2017: Edward Scicluna, Chris Cardona (PL); Beppe Fenech Adami, David Agius, Therese Comodini Cachia (PN) – Casual election: Edward Zammit Lewis, Ian Castaldi Paris (PL)
This is likely to be the district which will be a battleground. Traditionally a PN district, it swapped to the PL marginally in 2013, before going back to the PN in 2017.
It’s also the district which has seen the most change since 2017.
On the PL’s side, both Edward Scicluna and Chris Cardona will not be recontesting, and neither will Ian Castaldi Paris – who replaced Cardona through a casual election.
That opens the way for Edward Zammit Lewis to be elected with the first five rather than by a casual election like in 2017; but he will have to contend with some heavyweight candidates as well in the form of Clyde Caruana, Clayton Bartolo, Roderick Galdes, and Alex Muscat.
The PN has also placed some of its more well-known candidates here. Fenech Adami will recontest his home district, and deputy leader David Agius will also be recontesting. Former leader Adrian Delia will be contesting here too – he is from Birkirkara and was the president of its football club for a number of years too.
Alex Perici Calascione returns as a candidate, as does the PN’s minority leader on the local council Justin Schembri. Former singer Julie Zahra has taken centre stage (if you’ll pardon the pun) in some party activities as well as of late, and she is one of the new candidates who will be hoping to make it to Parliament.
District 9:
Elected in 2017: Clifton Grima, Michael Falzon (PL); Kristy Debono, Robert Arrigo, Marthese Portelli (PN) – Casual election: Manuel Mallia (PL), Ivan J. Bartolo (PN).
Some changes here, though not particularly for the PL. Both Clifton Grima and Michael Falzon are recontesting here as is Edward Zammit Lewis, who contested the district in 2017 but wasn’t elected.
Manuel Mallia, who was elected here in a casual election, will not be recontesting having retired from politics to become Malta’s High Commissioner in the UK. Indeed the PL will only have five candidates on this district: Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and new candidate Rebecca Buttigieg are the other two.
There is potential for change for the PN meanwhile, particularly as both Kristy Debono and Marthese Portelli are not recontesting their seats.
Alongside Robert Arrigo, the party has put some heavyweights and some new names onto this district. Beppe Fenech Adami will be contesting here, as will Jason Azzopardi, Karl Gouder, and Karol Aquilina.
Ivan J. Bartolo will be hoping to hold onto the seat he won through a casual election, but there is also stiff competition from some new candidates in the form of lawyers Joe Giglio and Emma Portelli Bonnici, and PN youth activist Eve Borg Bonello, who may attract votes from the younger demographics.
District 10:
Elected in 2017: Evarist Bartolo, Michael Falzon (PL); Robert Arrigo, Marlene Farrugia, Karl Gouder (PN) - Casual election: Karol Aquilina (PN).
The tenth district – a firm PN stronghold – is one where the PL has lost some weight on their ballot sheet in terms of stature.
While both Evarist Bartolo and Michael Falzon will be contesting the district along with Clifton Grima, voters will only have a handful of new candidates – with Felix Busuttil and Rebecca Buttigieg being the pick of the bunch – to choose from, most of whom have this district as their secondary district.
The PN first and foremost will be happy to gain a seat back from Marlene Farrugia this year, who technically held the seat for PD even if she was elected under the PN’s ballot sheet in 2017, but will be hoping to gain the elusive fourth seat if the general tide of the election swings a bit closer than it did five years ago.
There is potential in the party’s ballot sheet to do that: incumbents Robert Arrigo, Karl Gouder, and Karol Aquilina will all be recontesting, while well-known names such as Mark Anthony Sammut, and Joe Giglio all add value to the list for the PN.
Other candidates such as St Julian’s mayor Albert Buttigieg, who has grown in stature since becoming mayor in 2019, and the same Emma Portelli Bonnici and Eve Borg Bonello mentioned above may also have an impact.
District 11:
Elected in 2017: Anthony Agius Decelis, Alex Muscat (PL); Simon Busuttil, David Agius, Edwin Vassallo (PN) - Casual election: Maria Deguara, Ivan Bartolo (PN)
This is one of the simpler districts to explain.
In the PL’s case, both incumbents will be recontesting, though Ministers Miriam Dalli and Michael Farrugia are also on the ballot sheet along with Mosta mayor Romilda Baldacchino Zarb. The presence of Dalli in particular could spell trouble for Agius Decelis, who has not held a role in Cabinet for a number of years.
On the PN’s side meanwhile, Simon Busuttil’s place on the ballot sheet has been taken up by current PN leader Bernard Grech, while the remaining four who were elected from here – be it in 2017 or from a later casual election – will all be recontesting as well.
A new candidate of note for the PN here is Joseph Grech, who led the PN’s youth wing for a few years and who has been used quite extensively on the campaign trail by the party.
District 12:
Elected in 2017: Michael Farrugia, Evarist Bartolo (PL); Simon Busuttil, Robert Cutajar, Claudette Buttigieg (PN) – Casual election: Clayton Bartolo (PL), David Thake (PN, later resigned)
The 12th district promises to be the most interesting contest on the map come election day.
A district made up mainly of Mellieha and St Paul’s Bay, it has traditionally gone towards the PN. However, demographic shifts have meant that the district has swung ever closer to the PL. In 2017, the PN only held onto the district by 801 votes – and since then, St Paul’s Bay’s local council has gone the PL’s way.
Both the PL’s current incumbents are re-contesting, as is Clayton Bartolo – a Mellieha native who has grown in stature as part of Robert Abela’s Cabinet. Anthony Agius Decelis and Jonathan Attard are also on the ballot sheet in the hope of scooping up more votes.
The PN meanwhile has lost Simon Busuttil – who brought the party leader effect – on this district. Robert Cutajar and Claudette Buttigieg are both recontesting, and they’re joined by Graziella Galea, Ivan Castillo, and Maria Deguara – all well-known in their respective localities on this district.
District 13:
Elected in 2017: Anton Refalo, Justyne Caruana, Clint Camilleri (PL); Chris Said, Marthese Portelli (PN) – Casual election: David Stellini (later resigned), Frederick Azzopardi (passed away), Kevin Cutajar (PN).
It’s said that the election is won and lost in Gozo. While one can’t really say how it will go: it will be interesting to see who takes on the seats vacated by Justyne Caruana on the PL’s side and Marthese Portelli on the PN’s side.
With Anton Refalo, Clint Camilleri on one side, and Chris Said on the other side, still favourites on either side of the spectrum, Joetienne Abela and Xaghra mayor Christian Zammit seem to be the two candidates poised to battle it out for the PL seat (assuming they hang on to a majority), while on the PN’s side Joseph Ellis, Kevin Cutajar, Claudette Buttigieg, and Alexander Borg could all be within a shout of taking Portelli’s seat.