Political newcomer Robert Abela set to become Malta’s new prime minister having been elected leader of the ruling Labour Party following a vote on Saturday.
The election result became known early on Sunday with Abela winning 58 per cent of the votes of some 17,500 members of the party. He was up against Chris Fearne (56) the deputy prime minister and minister of health, who had been the initial favourite to win.
Joseph Muscat is stepping down as leader and prime minister amid claims that he protected associates who had links to people allegedly involved in the 2017 murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.