MaltaToday previous editions

5 maltatoday | MONDAY • 28 MARCH 2022 ELECTION 2022 General Election 2022 District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 District 8 District 9 District 10 District 11 District 12 District 13 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 85.55% 91.92% 87.14% 93.37% 87.85% 93.19% 86.87% 93.85% 87.19% 93.20% 87.35% 93.07% 88.02% 93.28% 86.29% 92.69% 84.35% 91.30% 81.59% 89.47% 84.79% 92.20% 78.38% 87.84% 86.14% 91.56% 2022 2017 Offcial turnout 2022 vs 2017 Lower turnouts in 2022 ments face the greatest pressure to press the accelerator to kick- start the economy by allowing more construction projects. Abela himself has promised that the greater the trust of the people, the more humble he will become. Now he is expected to show that sense of humility in governing the country. And while Abela may feel embold- ened by the implosion of the PN, he now also has to take into ac- count 'non-voters' who may still sway the next election either by switching to a reformed PN or by incubating new parties. He is also expected to show statesmanship in an interna- tional context characterised by instability and a relapse to gun- ship diplomacy, by giving mean- ing to Malta's active neutrality while anchoring the country in the democratic camp. He will have to anticipate a possible rift with China over Taiwan, in view of Chinese ownership of one of the power stations. And to do this he also has to act fast on re- storing the country's reputation away from selling passports to rich oligarchs and attracting 'in- vestments' by shady characters, to a forward-looking country which attracts sustainable in- vestment in its industrial base. Abela's super- majority may be a double-edged sword. With the next election also in the bag – as it is extremely difficult for any opposition to overturn a 35,000 gap in five years – Labour may well feel it can ride roughshod on any opposition or dissenting voice. Relief: Robert Abela managed the impossible to retain a 39,000 super-majority

• Cover