Winning Against the Trend: Labour's Victory in the 2017 Maltese Parliamentary Election. Issue 4 (2nd October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pace, Roderick
• Is Part Of: South European society & politics. Volume 22:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 509
• Page End: 529
• Publication Date: 2017-10-02
• Subjects: Malta -- Southern Europe -- social democracy -- pure two-party system -- small parties -- corruption -- Panama Papers -- women candidates; Europe, Southern -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Europe, Southern -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; 940
• DOI: 10.1080/13608746.2017.1410274
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-8746

Abstract

Abstract: The re-election of the Labour Party with an increased majority in the 2017 Maltese national election bucks the trends of incumbent punishment experienced in most South European countries during the 'Great Recession' and of the decline of social democratic parties in Europe in the past 50 years. This Maltese 'exceptionalism' is explained by the Labour Party's centrist shift, the country's pure two-party system, and the economic prosperity which encouraged voters to opt for continuity. These factors allowed the governing party to win, despite corruption allegations deriving from the Panama Papers. Although a third party entered parliament for the first time since 1966, the fundamentals of the party and electoral systems have not changed and this development may not be long-lived.