Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545062
once again ahead in the finance, business and management cate- gory, which accounts for 18.1% of PL candidates compared to 13.8% in the PN. This reinforces earlier patterns identified in 2022, when Labour was already more strongly as- sociated with business-orient- ed and managerial professional backgrounds than its National- ist counterpart. Former Labour leaders Joseph Muscat and Alfred Sant pertained to this category. As was also noted in the 2022 analysis, one of the most strik- ing absences from both candi- date lists remains that of manual workers. Both parties continue to draw overwhelmingly from pro- fessional, managerial, and admin- istrative occupations. The PL also has more social workers and candidates hailing from other professional fields. In contrast, the PN has more educators and academics in its field (13.8%) than the PL (8.3%). The PL list also includes more candidates hailing from the medical and health-related pro- fessions. Former Labour leader Paul Boffa was a doctor. On the other hand, engineering and sci- ence-related professions feature more in the PN list. Interestingly, the PN has four candidates who are still students, something none of the other par- ties have. 25 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 MAY 2026 NEWS lawyers than the Nationalist Party management and business, while the PN attracts more educators and engineers Profession Number % of PL Number % of PN Number % of Mom Number % of ADPD Lawyers 26 36.1 22 33.8 0 0 0 0 Business/finance 13 18.1 9 13.8 1 14.3 1 12.5 Education/academia 6 8.3 9 13.8 2 28.6 4 50 Engineering/science 2 2.8 4 6.2 1 14.3 1 12.5 Medical/Health 8 11.1 5 7.7 1 14.3 0 0 Other professionals 11 15.3 8 12.3 1 28.6 1 12.5 Architects 1 1.4 2 3.1 0 0 1 12.5 Social workers 4 5.6 1 1.5 0 0 0 0 Students 0 0 4 6.2 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 72 100 65 100 7 100 8 100 PL PN MOMENTUM ADPD Eve Borg Bonello, Bernice Bonello, Luke Said and Rachel Williams, all on the PN ticket, are the only students contesting the general election ELECTION 2026