The Labour Party is the favorite in the early parliamentary elections in Malta

Polling stations opened in Malta on Saturday for early parliamentary elections that could give Prime Minister Robert Abela's Labour Party a fourth consecutive term, according to the latest opinion polls.

Robert Abela called this election before the normal end of the legislative term, just four years into the current five-year mandate. The head of government justified this decision by citing the challenges the Mediterranean archipelago could face in an international context marked by economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

The election campaign pitted the Labour Party against the Nationalist Party led by Alex Borg. Opinion polls published before the vote gave a comfortable lead to the ruling party, which has dominated Maltese politics for over a decade.

The government highlights the country's economic growth, low unemployment, and investments made in recent years. The opposition, for its part, has focused its criticism on issues of governance, transparency, and the cost of living.

Voters are called upon to elect new members of Parliament in an election closely watched across the European Union. A victory for the Labour Party would confirm Robert Abela's dominant position on the Maltese political scene and give him a new mandate to implement the reforms announced by his government.

The final results are expected after the close of voting and the counting of ballots.