We lead, they follow: Labour first tries to ridicule the PN and then copies it

The Partit Nazzjonalista says the people have a clear choice between a Partit Nazzjonalista with fresh ideas and a clear vision, and Labour, which has ended up copying the PN after trying to ridicule its proposals

The Partit Nazzjonalista proposes, and the Labour Party first ridicules, then ends up copying and adopting the PN’s proposals. We lead, they follow.

During a press conference, Partit Nazzjonalista candidates Rebekah Borg and Errol Cutajar said that this electoral campaign is confirming that the Partit Nazzjonalista is leading with ideas, proposals and vision, while the Labour Party is making one U-turn after another and copying proposals it had previously attacked or ridiculed.

In recent months and years, the Partit Nazzjonalista proposed, and Labour ridiculed. Now it has ended up proving the PN right and copying its proposals, pretending they are its own.

They gave 10 examples of this:

1. The Child Trust Fund

Last November, the Partit Nazzjonalista proposed a Child Trust Fund through which a Nationalist Government would deposit €5,000 for every newborn child, a sum that grows year after year and can be used when that child wants to take an important step in life. Labour criticised the proposal. Today, on the eve of the election, Robert Abela is talking about a €5,000 birth bonus, which however does not go directly to the child.

2. Work-life balance proposals

In 2022, the PN proposed extending paid leave to one year. Labour went to Parliament and voted against this extension. Today it is proposing six months of parental leave. Because of its arrogance, the Labour Government deprived many parents of time with their children that they can never get back. Now  they seem to have woken up and are promising some form of leave extension.

3. The four-day week

When Alex Borg proposed a consultation on the four-day week, Robert Abela made a huge fuss, called him irresponsible, and said he was endangering jobs and industry. Then, on 1 May, the Prime Minister stood in front of people and spoke about a discussion so that workers would have the right to apply for a “compressed week”. In other words, he took the four-day week he had ridiculed so much, changed its name, and pretended it was his idea.

4. Corporate tax

The PN proposed a 15% corporate tax for everyone so that there would no longer be discrimination between Maltese and foreign companies. Labour said this proposal would damage public finances. Today, Robert Abela has changed his mind again and is proposing a reduced rate, not of 15%, but of 25% for companies with a turnover of less than €1 million. Even here, he tried to copy — but the PN’s proposal remains better because it creates a level playing field with a 15% rate.

5. Planning

When the Partit Nazzjonalista proposed a holistic planning reform, Labour said this was impossible. Then, behind everyone’s back in the middle of summer, they tried to push through changes to the planning laws. Without consulting anyone. Now, on the eve of the election, Robert Abela is saying there are points on which ENGOs agree with him, but the ENGOs themselves contradicted him. Zero credibility from a party which, in government, tried to introduce changes without consulting anyone.

6. Four new hospitals

The Partit Nazzjonalista announced a plan for four new hospitals. Labour said this would disrupt the health system. Labour has no credibility in health when, with it in government, we paid hundreds of millions and got nothing. It was Nationalist Governments that had the vision, and thank goodness we have Mater Dei and Gozo General Hospital, which remain the pillars of healthcare in our country. The proposals of the Partit Nazzjonalista will improve people’s lives. What they certainly will not do is set the country back €900 million, as happened with the agreement Chris Fearne himself had called “the real deal” and from which he now wants to dissociate himself.

7. Free cancer medicines

In 2021, the Partit Nazzjonalista proposed that cancer medicines should be provided free of charge. In 2024, Minister Jo Etienne Abela said these would be removed from the responsibility of the Malta Community Chest Fund and would start being administered by the Government, but to this day nothing has changed. Now Labour is even saying this cannot be done. With Alex Borg as Prime Minister, all cancer medicines, as ordered by consultants, will be free of charge.

8. New vessels for Gozo

The Partit Nazzjonalista has long said that the Nikolaos is money thrown away and that Gozo needs two new vessels. Today, after years in which Labour left Gozitans with a wreck, Labour is saying it will build new vessels. After leaving Gozitans to make do with a dilapidated vessel, and wasting thirteen years, it now wants Gozitans to believe it. Gozitans know that it was a Nationalist Government that, in just a few years, gave them three new vessels which are still serving them well today.

9. Mental health

In 2023, the Partit Nazzjonalista proposed a new mental health hospital close to Mater Dei. Shortly afterwards, Chris Fearne rushed to say that he would build a new Mental Health Hospital next to Mater Dei. Nothing happened. Then the Minister changed, and Jo Etienne Abela said there was no need for a new hospital and that two wards would be enough. Now, all of a sudden, during the electoral campaign, they had a change of heart and the Prime Minister, who did nothing for years on mental health, has once again come out with the promise of a new mental health hospital. As if anyone should believe him.

10. The interconnector

For years, Labour tried to blame the interconnector for every energy problem, when power cuts were happening over every minor issue because they had not invested at all in maintenance. Today that rhetoric has disappeared, and the interconnector has become so good that instead of one we will have two, and now they are talking about a third and fourth interconnector.

The Partit Nazzjonalista said that these examples expose a tired Labour Party that has run out of ideas, direction and credibility. A Labour Party that first attacks, then makes a U-turn, and finally copies the Partit Nazzjonalista.

The Partit Nazzjonalista candidates said that the people have a clear choice before them: between a Partit Nazzjonalista with fresh ideas, vision and a team ready to give A Fresh Start to Malta and Gozo, and a Labour Party that has ended up copying the very same proposals it had tried to ridicule.

04.05.2026