Prime Minister Robert Abela has pledged that his government will launch three key reforms and seven legislative reforms in its first 100 days, including swimming lessons for children, preparatory work on a secure care facility for adolescents, and an aftercare programme for young people leaving residential care at 18.

Addressing the closing session of the Labour Party's extraordinary general conference, held under the theme 'Int Malta - Your Dream, Our Project', Abela said Labour's fourth consecutive general election victory was "not the end, but only the beginning," and that the government's immediate priority was to start implementing the 'Int Malta' electoral manifesto endorsed by voters in the 30 May general election.

The Prime Minister said the government would launch a pilot project offering swimming lessons to children, starting with children in the Cottonera area.

It will also complete the preparatory work for a secure care facility for adolescents under the age of 18.

A third reform will see the implementation of an aftercare programme for young people who turn 18 and can no longer live in residential care institutions, providing them with accommodation and financial support.

Abela said these measures would form part of the first strong signals to be given by the government in its first 100 days, together with seven legislative changes aimed at affecting people's lives directly, particularly those who need support most.

Among the first reforms will be changes to IVF legislation, which Abela said would be widened and strengthened so that fewer Maltese and Gozitan couples would need to travel abroad to become parents.

The government will also introduce stronger protections for persons with disability, together with legislation on personal autonomy and the protection of vulnerable adults.

Abela also pledged that parks and open spaces created in recent years would be given permanent protection, so that they cannot be taken away from communities and handed over for development.

Planning appeals will also be reformed so that works cannot continue while an appeal period is still ongoing.

A new legislative framework for voluntary organisations will be introduced, aimed at reducing bureaucracy and allowing organisations to continue carrying out their work more effectively. Another reform will establish a national commissioner for human rights and equality, which Abela said would protect civil rights already introduced and ensure they cannot be rolled back.

Abela described the 'Int Malta' manifesto as the most ambitious electoral programme ever drawn up by the Labour Party, and said it was the natural continuation of decisions taken when Malta faced major crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects of wars close to Europe.

He said those moments had strengthened his belief that government must stand by people not only during national emergencies, but throughout every stage of their lives.

Abela said that Malta had chosen to invest in families and businesses rather than pass international burdens on to them, arguing that this approach had protected both people's quality of life and the country's economic strength.

"It is only a Labour government that can take our country to where it deserves to be. The five years ahead of us will be years of non-stop work. We have the most ambitious manifesto in the country's history," he said.

The Prime Minister said the manifesto was built around the idea that economic success must be felt more directly by families, workers, pensioners, young people and vulnerable citizens.

Credit ratings, economic growth and strong sectors were important, he said, but they were only the foundations for a better quality of life.

Abela said the first Budget of the legislature, to be presented in October, would continue investing in people.

He warned that Malta is still facing serious international challenges, but said the country is doing so from a position of economic strength.

The Prime Minister said Labour's fourth consecutive victory carried historic responsibility, noting that no party in Malta had previously secured such a result.

He acknowledged that Labour had not been perfect, but said the party remained the only political force capable of taking Malta to the next level.

"Join me, continue believing in the Labour Party," Abela told delegates.

"The fourth victory is not the end, but only the beginning. This party still has much more good to create for the Maltese and Gozitans. It still has much more to deliver."

The conference also confirmed Labour's leadership following the election. Abela was reconfirmed as Labour leader with 95.3% of the vote, while Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg was confirmed as deputy leader for parliamentary affairs with 97.7%.

MEP Alex Agius Saliba was confirmed as deputy leader for party affairs with 91.6%.

Borg said the time for celebration must now give way to work, saying people want to see better services, more investment, decisions and results. He said Labour's fourth victory should translate into more justice for Malta and Gozo.

Agius Saliba focused on unity within the party, saying Labour's greatest strength had always been respect and cohesion among its members. He warned that the next five years would not be easy, and said the party must remain close to people while continuing to modernise its structures, local committees, media presence and digital outreach.

Closing his speech, Abela appealed for continued unity and hard work, saying Labour still had much more to deliver. "Let us continue this road together," he said, "because you are Malta, and Malta is you."