Alex Borg urged disillusioned voters on Sunday not to abstain from voting in the election on May 30 and instead, should use their vote to reject what he described as Labour’s ‘old style of politics’.

Addressing a mass rally in Siġġiewi, the Nationalist Party leader said the upcoming election was “not a formality”, despite what he described as Labour’s assumption that voters would automatically return the party to power.

He said Prime Minister Robert Abela had called an early election not because of international instability, but to protect his own political interests.

“If Abela wanted to enact Labour’s proposals, he could have done them in the next budget. He had another year,” Borg said.

The PN leader said many people, particularly young people, had lost faith in politics because of the way Labour was conducting the campaign.

“I did not enter politics to attack my adversaries. I entered politics to see our country move forward,” Borg said.

He urged those thinking of staying home on election day to think again.

“If you do not like this style of politics, go out and vote for the PN,” he said.

A large crowd turned up for the rally in Siġġiewi parish square. Photo: Jonathan Borg

“To those who always voted Labour but do not want 18 years of Labour in government, this is your moment to change direction,” he said. “Our door is open. Castille will be open to all Maltese and Gozitans.”

There were no new proposals announced during the rally, with Borg instead summing up the PN’s pledges from the first week of the campaign and contrasting them with Labour’s record in government.

He said the PN had always placed families at the heart of its politics, pointing to proposals announced earlier on Sunday to extend paid maternity leave, increase paternity leave and introduce sick leave for parents whose children are unwell.

But Borg’s broader pitch was that a PN government would generate new wealth through fresh economic niches and invest that money back into people’s quality of life.

He said the PN had historically been the party that created new sectors for the Maltese economy, including gaming, aviation and maritime services, and would now do the same with data, artificial intelligence, space and maritime fuel services.

‘All these proposals are doable’

He highlighted the PN’s proposed Mediterranean Maritime Fuel Hub off Hurd’s Bank and the €350 million “Port” cultural district in Marsa, which the party says would generate hundreds of millions in revenue and create new infrastructure for artists.

“These projects will not burden people, infrastructure or the economy,” Borg said, arguing that they would instead generate revenue that could be used to ease the cost of living.

He repeated the PN’s pledge to cut household electricity bills by 30% from January 1 if elected, and defended the party’s proposal to remove inheritance tax and tax on donated businesses.

Borg said the PN would also reduce personal income tax, with workers paying at least €1,200 less a year, and cut corporate tax for businesses.

“All these proposals are doable, costed and drawn up in consultation with experts,” he said.

Alex Borg stops to take a selfie. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Robert Abela is in ‘panic mode’

The PN leader accused Abela of being in “panic mode” and using the campaign to attack him personally, as well as PN candidates, experts and technocrats.

Referring to criticism of the PN’s fuel hub proposal, Borg said Abela had tried to link him to a criminal figure and said he had sworn an affidavit stating he had never met the person in question.

“You can attack me all you want, but I will defend the others,” Borg said.

He said that kind of campaigning was the reason many people had become alienated from politics.

Borg also accused Labour of blurring the line between government and party, saying it could no longer distinguish between Castille and Mile End.

He claimed that as soon as the election was announced, government billboards across Malta and Gozo were replaced with Labour Party billboards.

Borg said Labour was treating the election as though people’s votes belonged to it.

“They are certain people will vote for them,” he said.

He also returned to the PN’s criticism of Labour’s record on healthcare, transport and energy. He said Labour had promised new hospitals but failed to deliver them, referring to the Vitals hospitals concession and saying it was the PN that had fought the case.

A PN government, he said, would build a new hospital in the north of Malta, a new hospital in Gozo, upgrade Mater Dei and develop the Paola health hub.

He also repeated the PN’s pledge to make cancer medicines free.

Despite PN changing its logo, many flags bearing the old emblem were still on show. Photo: Jonathan Borg

On energy, Borg said Labour had promised to remove the LNG tanker from Marsaxlokk but failed to do so. A PN government, he said, would remove it.

On transport, Borg said Labour had held several press conferences and once presented a metro vision, only for the plan to go nowhere.

“What happened to the metro?” he asked.

He said the PN had already promised to start work on a new mass transport system within its first 100 days in office and open the first line within five years.

Borg also questioned a €4 million direct order to consultancy firm Arup linked to mass transport studies, asking whether the studies were ready and what the funds would be used for.

The PN leader said Labour had had 13 years in government, as well as another year and another budget ahead of it, to deliver the changes it was now promising.

“It is only a PN government that does what it promises,” Borg said.

He closed by saying that Malta needed a change in leadership and a broader understanding of wealth, one that included quality of life and the environment, not just economic growth.

“We are underdogs,” Borg told supporters, “but with you, we can make a change and start afresh.”