Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545412
4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 17 JUNE 2026 NEWS MALTA'S new parliament has been finalised following the conclusion of casual elections and the activation of the gender corrective mechanism, resulting in a House of Representatives compris- ing 79 MPs, including a record 27 wom- en. The Labour Party will hold 42 seats in parliament, while the Nationalist Party will occupy 37 seats. The government tally includes Car- melo Abela, who is expected to be elected Speaker of the House when parliament convenes. Abela will vacate his 3 seat, with his replacement yet to be determined through a casual elec- tion. A total of 12 women entered parlia- ment through the gender corrective mechanism, which is triggered when the underrepresented sex accounts for less than 40% of elected MPs. The mechanism allows for up to six addi- tional seats per party to improve gen- der balance in the House. The latest composition means wom- en now make up 27 of parliament's 79 members, representing the highest level of female representation since Malta gained independence. The casual elections, held follow- ing the 30 May general election, filled seats vacated by candidates elected from more than one district. Once these contests were concluded, elec- toral authorities applied the gender corrective mechanism to determine which additional female candidates would enter parliament. The new legislature will see the La- bour Party maintain its parliamentary majority, while the Nationalist Party strengthens its opposition benches with a larger parliamentary group than in the previous legislature. Parliament is expected to hold its first sitting on Saturday, during which MPs will be sworn in and a new Speak- er elected. Carmelo Abela, a veteran Labour politician and former deputy speaker, has been nominated by Prime Minister Robert Abela to take on the role, succeeding Anglu Farrugia. The final composition of the House marks another test of Malta's gender corrective mechanism, introduced in 2021 and first used following the 2022 general election. Supporters argue the measure has significantly increased female rep- resentation in parliament, while critics have questioned the expansion of par- liamentary seats and the exclusion of smaller parties from the mechanism. Elected following Parliament Opposition Elected through proportionality mechanism Speaker of Carmelo Elected through gender Opposition Leader Alex Borg Stephen Spiteri Ivan Bartolo Toni Bezzina Eve Borg Bonello Conrad Borg Manche Julian Borg Rebekah Borg Darren Carabott Jerome Caruana Cilia Ivan Castillo Adrian Delia Beppe Fenech Adami Beppe Galea Graziella Galea Joe Giglio Bernard Grech Paula Mifsud Bonnici Alex Perici Calascione Michael Piccinino Mark Anthony Sammut Justin Schembri Frank Anthony Tabone Janice Abela Chetcuti George Vital Zammit Graziella Attard Previ John Baptist Camilleri Ian Vassallo Hagi Stanley Zammit Graham Bencini Andrew Agius Elected following casual elections Parliament Opposition Government Elected through proportionality mechanism Speaker of the House Carmelo Abela Elected through gender mechanism Casual election required to fill seat vacated by Carmelo Abela Opposition Leader Alex Borg Prime Minister Robert Abela Minister Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli Jo Etienne Abela Anton Refalo Malcolm P. Agius Galea Ian Borg Jonathan Attard Keith Azzopardi Tanti Glenn Bedingfield Chris Bonett Owen Bonnici Silvio Schembri Byron Camilleri Clint Camilleri Clyde Caruana Rosianne Cutajar Miriam Dalli Clifton Grima Michael Falzon Julia Farrugia Omar Farrugia Chris Fearne Alicia Bugeja Said Deo Debattista Anthony Agius Decelis John Grech Nigel Vella Clint Azzopardi Flores Ramona Attard Franco Mercieca Naomi Cachia Andy Ellul Alex Muscat Mariah Meli Rebecca Buttigieg Stephen Spiteri Ivan Bartolo Toni Bezzina Eve Borg Bonello Conrad Borg Manche Julian Borg Rebekah Borg Darren Carabott Jerome Caruana Cilia Ivan Castillo Adrian Delia Beppe Fenech Adami Beppe Galea Graziella Galea Joe Giglio Bernard Grech Paula Mifsud Bonnici Alex Perici Calascione Michael Piccinino Mark Anthony Sammut Justin Schembri Frank Anthony Tabone Janice Abela Chetcuti George Vital Zammit Graziella Attard Previ John Baptist Camilleri Ian Vassallo Hagi Stanley Zammit Graham Bencini Andrew Agius This is how Malta's parliament Malta's new parliament is now finalised following the conclusion of casual elections and the activation of the gender corrective mechanism KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt The Labour Party will hold 42 seats in parliament, while the Nationalist Party will occupy 37 seats