Malta

Malta is a parliamentary republic and the smallest member state of the European Union, which it joined in 2004. It adopted the euro in 2008 and is a member of the Commonwealth. The Labour Party under Prime Minister Robert Abela won a fourth consecutive term in an early general election on 30 May 2026, with about 52 per cent of the vote. The Nationalist Party, led by Alex Borg, forms the opposition. Constitutional mechanisms for proportionality and gender balance added seats, bringing the House to 79 members. The economy is services-led, with financial services, online gaming, tourism and maritime activity as major sectors. Policy debates include housing and rents, infrastructure, energy costs, exposure to Middle East instability and governance standards. In April 2025 the Court of Justice of the EU ruled that Malta’s citizenship-by-investment scheme breached EU law. Key regulators include the Malta Financial Services Authority, the Malta Gaming Authority and the Central Bank of Malta.