Labour’s winning streak: Joseph Muscat’s 10 election victories

Ever since Keith Schembri rubbed Labour Party supporters the wrong way when he brazenly declared that he “gave them” 10 election victories, many have questioned this assertion.

Schembri was not the sole factor behind victory and his claim wreaks heavily of arrogance but the PL under Joseph Muscat did win 10 straight elections.

The first two came in 2009, a year after Muscat became leader, when the PL won convincingly in the European Parliament and local council elections.

Since then Muscat clocked up another four local council election victories, two general elections and another two European Parliament elections.

Here is the list of impressive victories – because the margins of victory and how they were maintained over a 12-year span are impressive by Maltese and European standards – that have characterised the PL’s Muscat era.

1. 2009 MEP election

Joseph Muscat’s first electoral appointment saw the Labour Party capture 54.8% of the vote and elect three MEPs against the PN’s two. The PL had increased its tally by just over six points from the 2004 result.

2. 2009 local council elections

The PL captured 54.6% of the vote across the 23 localities where elections were held.

3. 2012 local council elections

The PL captured 55.7% of the vote across the 35 localities where elections were held.

4. 2013 general election

Joseph Muscat’s first general election delivered a resounding and historic victory. The PL captured 54.8% of the vote and a massive 35,000-vote lead over the PN.

5. 2013 local council elections

Held on the same day of the general election, the PL captured 56.7% of the vote across the 34 localities where elections were held.

6. 2014 MEP election

The PL won the election with 53.4% of the vote and a 34,000-vote margin over the PN. The PL won three seats from six. This was Muscat’s first electoral clash with PN leader Simon Busuttil.

7. 2015 local council elections

The PL secured 53.5% of the vote across 34 localities where elections were held.

8. 2017 general election

Muscat secured an even bigger victory in an election that was called 18 months before its time. The PL obtained 55% of the vote and more than 35,000 votes ahead of the PN-PD coalition. The margin over the PN goes up to 40,000 if the PD’s votes are removed from the equation.

9. 2019 MEP election

The PL secured 54.3% of the vote, four of the six seats and almost 43,000 votes more than the PN. This was Muscat’s first electoral clash with PN leader Adrian Delia.

10. 2019 local council elections

Held with the EP election, this was the first time that elections were held in all localities at one go. The PL obtained 58% of the vote, winning localities that were historically PN-leaning such as Valletta and Siggiewi.