Robert Abela was sworn in as prime minister following the resignation of Joseph Muscat on 13 January 2020.
24 Facts About Robert Abela
2.
Robert Abela attended the Sisters' School in Santa Lucija and St Francis primary school in Bormla, to then continue secondary school and sixth form at St Aloysius' College.
3.
Robert Abela practised bodybuilding, competing twice in the national championships in the late 1990s.
4.
Robert Abela studied law at the University of Malta, where he met his future wife Lydia.
5.
Robert Abela has been criticised for benefiting from direct orders for legal services for public entities, including Enemalta and Transport Malta.
6.
In 2018, Robert Abela declared that no conflict of interest arose from his acting as legal representative of Air Malta while his father, former President George Abela, was the mediator and chief negotiator in talks with its pilots.
7.
The licence was dropped in early 2020 once Robert Abela became Prime Minister.
8.
Robert Abela became involved in politics while his father George Robert Abela was deputy party leader, supporting the party in the 1996 general election.
9.
Robert Abela claimed that he started off transporting sick people to the polling stations in 1996, and worked behind the scenes for many years in other roles, such as representing the party on current affairs programmes as requested by Joseph Muscat and lately as his legal advisor in Cabinet.
10.
Robert Abela supported his father in the failed Labour leadership bid against Joseph Muscat in 2008, after Alfred Sant's resignation.
11.
Robert Abela was described as appealing to voters with no political ties, as well as the perfect replacement to attract Marie Louise Coleiro Preca's votes in the sixth district of Siggiewi, Luqa and Qormi.
12.
Robert Abela had already been approached; however, he chose his legal profession over politics.
13.
Robert Abela served as legal adviser to the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, which enabled him to attend the meetings of the Council of Ministers.
14.
In October 2019 Robert Abela stated that more Police were needed on Malta's streets to tackle residents' migration-related concerns.
15.
Robert Abela remarked that he did not want to be a part of any "diabolical pact", and presented his candidacy as an alternative to Chris Fearne.
16.
However, according to James Debono, Robert Abela was recognised as the "continuity" candidate instead of Fearne, emphasising stability, unity and normality, as opposed to the bolder changes advocated by Fearne.
17.
Robert Abela called for a crack-down on cheap labour migrant workers, who he accused of repressing local salaries, by proposing that employers be allowed to hire foreigners only if able to pay them fully on the books and while respecting work condition regulations.
18.
Robert Abela guaranteed the continuation of Malta's controversial citizenship-by-investment programme.
19.
Robert Abela was openly critical of the 2019 Malta political crisis surrounding the Daphne Caruana Galizia car bombing.
20.
Robert Abela claimed that the only purpose of the 2019 Maltese protests was provocation.
21.
Robert Abela stated that his family law firm headed by his wife should retain the right to bid for public tenders, should he take up office.
22.
Robert Abela's campaign was criticised for not accepting any interviews from the independent press, but only relying on Labour-friendly media outlets.
23.
At the internal party elections on 12 January 2020, Robert Abela obtained 9,342 votes against 6,798 for Chris Fearne.
24.
Robert Abela was thus proclaimed new leader of the Labour Party.