Labour Party (Malta)
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The Labour Party (Maltese: Partit Laburista) is a Maltese political party. It is the main party of opposition in Malta, and at the 2003 general elections obtained 30 of the 65 seats in the Maltese House of Representatives, with a 47.5% share of the vote.
The Malta Labour Party was founded in 1949. Dr. Paul Boffa, then Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party, left the Party because of serious disagreements with his Deputy Dom Mintoff and a series of cabinet crises. Boffa formed the Malta Workers Party (MWP) while Mintoff re-organised the Labour Party as the Malta Labour Party (MLP).
The Party contested its first elections for the Malta Legislative Assembly the following year. The old Labour vote was split equally between the MLP and the MWP: 11 members each. This allowed the Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) to have a slight edge in the formation of a government, which it did in coalition with the MWP. The government did not last long. Two other elections were held in 1951 and 1953 (the last time a coalition governed in Malta) which both saw short-lived PN-MWP coalitions and the decline in the share of votes to the MWP with increasing support for the MLP.
The MWP eventually disintegrated and the MLP formed a government for the first time in 1955. This legislature was dominated by the Integration with Britain issue. The Party, which started its life as an anti-colonial Party and the slogan "Integration or self-determination" was now inclined towards the first part of the formula. A referendum was held in 1958 but given the number of abstensions and massive opposition by the PN and the Catholic Church the result was inconclusive. This, together with a number of dismissals at the naval dockyard led to Mintoff's resignation and his call for massive protests.
The Governor re-established direct colonial government which lasted until 1962. In the meantime the MLP's connection with Third World Independentist and Socialist movements, together with its targetting the Church as pro-British and the cause of failure of the Integration project led to the Party leadership being interdicted by the Catholic Church authorities. This led to a minor split (and the creation of the Christian Workers' Party, which lasted only until 1966) and the defeat of the Party at the polls.
The Party participated in independence talks but disagreed with what was offered. It did not participate in the Independence celebrations in 1964. The Party made strong gains in the 1966 elections which, however, were not enough to see it in office. The Party was victorious in 1971 and immediately set out to re-negotiate the post-Independence militaryand financial agreements with Britain. The Party also undertook massive nationalisation programmes and expansion of the welfare state. Malta became a republic in 1974. And the MLP won the 1976 elections.
In 1981 the Party managed to hold on to a parliamentary majority even though the opposition Nationalist Party managed an absolute majority of ballots. A serious political crisis ensued when Nationalists MPs refused to take their seats for the first years of the legislature. Mintoff resigned as Prime Minister and Party leader in 1984 (although he retained his parliamentary seat) making way for his appointee Dr Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici.
The Party agreed to constitutional amendments in 1987 which guaranteed that the party with a majority of vote was given a majority of seats. Thanks to the amendment the Nationalists returned to Government after 16 years. The MLP performed badly in 1992 and Mifsud Bonnici resigned. He was succeeded by Dr Alfred Sant who modernised the party and secured a victory at the polls in 1996.
However, trouble was brewing. Mr Mintoff, feeling marginalised, started creating problems in Parliament where the government had only a 1-seat majority. Things came to a head in summer of 1998 when the government lost a vote on the lease of the Cottonera waterfront. Sant called early elections and was defeated.
Back in opposition, the Party campaigned unsuccessfully against EU membership, losing again in 2003. Sant resigned but stood again for election where he was voted again as leader with more than 65% of the vote.
The Party has currently 30 MPs (out of 65) and 3 MEPs (out of 5).]
The Party won the local council election of 2004 and 2005. The party is currently claiming that is expected to win the next election.
The Labor Party advocated less intervention by the Catholic Church, and, after 1958, less intervention by Britain in Malta's affairs. It also advocated a socialist economic policy based on the rights of workers and trade unions. It obtained 3 of Malta's 5 seats in the 2004 European Parliament elections. In the European Parliament the Malta Labor Party's representatives belong to the Party of European Socialists. The Labor Party owns Super One TV, and Super One Radio.
Past and current leaders
- Leaders since 1949
- 1949-1984 Dom Mintoff (Prime Minister: 1955-1958, 1971-1984)
- 1984-1992 Dr Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici (Prime Minister: 1984-1987)
- 1992- Dr Alfred Sant (Prime Minister: 1996-1998)