Yesterday week Roderick Galdes became the latest in a long line of resignations that have punctuated Labour's time in government.

Since coming to power in 2013, the Labour administration has seen senior political figures step down - one of them twice - effectively averaging one major resignation per year. That list includes ministers, parliamentary secretaries, backbench MPs, and even a prime minister and three party deputy leaders.

These resignations offer a parallel political history of Labour's years in power.

Apart from the list below, Home Minister Byron Camilleri had offered to quit hours after a theft from an Armed Forces of Malta compound in February 2025, but his resignation had been rejected by Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Godfrey Farrugia (March 2014)

A year after being appointed Health Minister, Godfrey Farrugia tendered in his resignation from the Cabinet as he was being pushed by then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to be moved to the Social Policy Ministry, which was being vacated by Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, who was to become President of the Republic. Farrugia, who had been replaced by Konrad Mizzi, had gone on the resign from the Labour Party in 2017 and join the Partit Demokratiku. He has since left politics.

Franco Mercieca (March 2014)

Franco Mercieca, who had been appointed parliamentary secretary for active ageing and disability rights in the first Muscat government, left Cabinet in March 2014 to return to his profession.

Manuel Mallia (December 2014)

Manuel Mallia, then Minister for Home Affairs, stepped down after his driver fired shots at a civilian following a traffic accident. Although a magisterial inquiry concluded that Mallia had not attempted to cover up the accident, it criticised him for failing to ensure the accuracy of an official government statement.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat initially asked Mallia to resign. When he refused, Muscat dismissed him. Mallia later described himself as a scapegoat, and Muscat would eventually say that removing him had been a mistake. Mallia remained a Labour MP until 2021, when he resigned from Parliament to become Malta's High Commissioner to the UK.

Michael Falzon (January 2016)

Michael Falzon resigned as parliamentary secretary after the National Audit Office published a report into what became known as the Gaffarena scandal. The NAO found that the government had failed to safeguard public interests in the expropriation of a Valletta property, allowing developer Mark Gaffarena to benefit disproportionately.

The report identified collusion within the Lands Department, for which Falzon bore political responsibility. Although Falzon contested the findings, he resigned. The government later rescinded the deal through court action. Falzon returned to Cabinet after the 2017 election and currently serves as Minister for Social Policy and Children's Rights.

Konrad Mizzi (November 2019)

Few resignations were as long anticipated as that of Konrad Mizzi. His political troubles began in 2016 when he was named in the Panama Papers - the only serving European minister to be exposed. Despite calls for his removal, Muscat retained him, first demoting him to minister within OPM and later appointing him Tourism Minister after the 2017 election.

Mizzi finally resigned in the tumultuous weeks towards the end of 2019. Mizzi said he was stepping down in the national interest. He was later expelled from the Labour Party by Abela and remained an independent MP until 2022. He now faces criminal charges related to the three hospitals' concession. He denies wrongdoing.

Joseph Muscat (January 2020)

Muscat's resignation as prime minister marked an unprecedented moment in Maltese politics. Once credited with delivering electoral dominance and economic growth, his tenure ended under the weight mounting accusations of institutional impunity.

Weeks of mass protests calling for accountability ultimately forced Muscat to announce his departure. He formally stepped down in January 2020 and resigned from Parliament later that year. Like Mizzi, he has since been charged in connection with the hospitals' concession. He denies all allegations.

Justyne Caruana (January 2020)

Appointed Gozo Minister by Abela, Justyne Caruana resigned just days later after revelations about the close relationship between her husband, then deputy police commissioner Silvio Valletta, and a businessman. Although Caruana denied any involvement, her position was deemed untenable. She later returned to Cabinet as Education Minister.

Chris Cardona (April 2020)

Then Deputy Leader Chris Cardona was excluded from Abela's first Cabinet and resigned from Parliament months later as court testimony implicated him in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder. Cardona initially retained his post as Labour deputy leader but resigned after Abela publicly called on him to do so. He has consistently denied any involvement in the murder.

Rosianne Cutajar (February 2021)

Promoted to parliamentary secretary in Abela's first Cabinet, Rosianne Cutajar resigned as she was being investigated for an ethics breach. After resisting pressure to step down, Cutajar quit moments before party disciplinary proceedings began. She later returned to the Labour parliamentary group in 2024.

Silvio Grixti (December 2021)

Labour MP Silvio Grixti resigned after reports emerged that he was under investigation. He was later charged over an alleged disability benefits racket. Prime Minister Abela said he had advised Grixti to resign upon learning of the investigation.

Justyne Caruana (December 2021)

Caruana resigned from Cabinet for a second time after being found guilty of an ethics breach for awarding a €15,000 consultancy contract to a close friend, who lacked relevant qualifications. She did not contest the 2022 election and subsequently left Parliament.

Chris Fearne (May 2024)

Former deputy prime minister Chris Fearne resigned after being charged in connection with the hospitals' concession. Widely regarded as one of the most respected figures in Cabinet, Fearne stepped down three days after charges were filed, despite Abela urging him to reconsider. He remains a backbencher and has resigned as Labour deputy leader.

Clayton Bartolo (November 2024)

Bartolo resigned after two ethics scandals. The first concerned the engagement of his wife as a consultant despite her lack of qualifications. The second involved an FIAU report flagging a €50,000 payment to her as a possible kickback related to a Tourism Authority deal. Bartolo, who denies the allegations, resigned shortly before the latter revelation became public and was removed from the Labour parliamentary group.

Roderick Galdes (January 2026)

Galdes' resignation follows months of scrutiny over his relationships with major developers and favourable property deals. The former Affordable Housing Minister said he stepped down to defend his integrity and that of his family, denying any wrongdoing. Prime Minister Abela accepted the resignation, adding another name to a growing list that continues to define Labour's years in power.