Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545155
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 31 MAY 2026 NEWS ELECTION 2026 Robert Abela votes in Zejtun: 'A crucial decision today' ROBERT Abela accompanied by his wife Lydia Abela voted in Że- jtun on Saturday morning, urg- ing voters to exercise their right to vote when exiting the polling station. "You have the key in your hands to choose who will lead this country in the coming years," Abela said in comments to reporters waiting outside the Żejtun secondary school where he had just voted. He urged voters to exercise their right to vote and to do so early. The prime minister also thanked all those who partici- pated in the last month of cam- paigning. Before casting their ballot, the Abelas were greeted by voters outside the school. Inside the polling station, the prime min- ister was welcomed by Chief Electoral Commissioner Joseph Camilleri. The prime minister thanked Camilleri for the com- mission's work throughout the election campaign and then there was the customary pose for the cameras with the fold- ed ballot in hand before Abela dropped it into the box. This is Abela's second elec- tion at the helm of the Labour Party. He was elected leader in 2020 after the resignation of Joseph Muscat in the wake of massive protests after the ar- rest of Yorgen Fenech, who was charged with masterminding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Abela led the PL into the 2022 general election, which he won by a landslide. The PL is seeking a re- cord-breaking fourth consecu- tive term in office this year. MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Robert Abela and wife Lydia Abela with their ballots in hand at the Zejtun secondary school where they voted on Saturday (Photo: Daniel Tihn/MaltaToday) Alex Borg votes in Munxar: 'A vote for a fresh start' NATIONALIST Party leader Alex Borg cast his vote early on Saturday in Munxar, becoming the first party leader in decades to vote in Gozo. He was accompanied by Eu- ropean Parliament President Roberta Metsola and fellow PN candidates contesting on the 13 District. Borg contested on his home district, Gozo, and the 12 Dis- trict—both crucial for the PN. After exiting the polling sta- tion, Borg gave a short com- ment to waiting journalists in which he urged voters to go out and vote. "I urge voters to vote for a fresh start," he said, echo- ing the PN's election campaign slogan. Borg voted at the Munxar pri- mary school at around 9:30am, where he was greeted by mem- bers of the Electoral Commis- sion. In a nod to reporters cov- ering the event, Borg thanked members of the media for travelling to Gozo early in the morning. This was Borg's first general election as leader of the PN and only his second as a candidate. He was elected leader only last September. Borg first contest- ed the election in 2022 and was elected to parliament after ob- taining 6,108 votes on the first count, having obtained the sec- ond highest number of votes on the 13 District after Gozo Min- ister Clint Camilleri. KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt Alex Borg was accompanied to the Munxar polling station by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola (Photo: PN)