‘No More Members Will Be Added’ – Robert Abela Confirms Cabinet Lineup Is Final

Prime Minister Robert Abela has confirmed that his newly appointed Cabinet will not be expanded further, even after casual elections and the gender corrective mechanism are concluded.

Speaking to the media outside Castille shortly after his ministers were sworn in at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta, Abela ruled out any additional ministerial or parliamentary secretary appointments in the coming weeks as reported by Times of Malta.

The new Cabinet already marks a significant expansion, with 21 ministers and two parliamentary secretaries, six more ministers than in the previous legislature.

Only a handful of Labour MPs elected in last Saturday’s general election were left without a Cabinet role, with veteran MP Carmelo Abela widely expected to be appointed Speaker of the House.

The Prime Minister said formal announcements regarding the Speaker and the Government Whip will be made in the coming days.

Abela’s comments are notable because, at the beginning of the previous legislature, additional appointments were made after casual elections and the gender corrective mechanism altered the composition of Parliament.

This time, however, the Prime Minister insisted that the Cabinet unveiled this week is the final version.

Abela also used the occasion to praise his team, describing the ministers around him as highly capable individuals with expertise across their respective sectors.

He said he feels fortunate to lead what he described as a competent team that is ready to deliver on the government’s priorities for the new legislature.

The Cabinet was officially sworn in on Thursday following Labour’s fourth consecutive general election victory.

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Gabriel Falzon

Gabriel Falzon is a social media executive at Lovin Malta, with a keen interest in digital media, local businesses, and the natural world. Outside of work, you’ll often find him baking up a storm, diving into video games, or exploring the endless corners of YouTube.