Abela called a snap election in April, four years into his five-year term, amid fears the war in Iran and the ensuing economic shock could erode support for his government.
Alex Borg, leader of the opposition Nationalists Party, appeared to concede defeat on Sunday, saying the outcome was “not the result we wanted, but it’s a very clear message.”
Abela’s victory was widely expected, with polling ahead of Saturday’s vote showing his Labour Party on top. Still, the Labour Party’s majority appeared to be considerably smaller than its last victory in 2022, with around 18,000 votes separating the government from the opposition.
The election was fiercely fought and drew some surprise interventions from Brussels, with Malta’s EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef, who was Abela’s chief of staff, controversially endorsing the prime minister in a campaign speech, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola appearing at campaign stops alongside Borg.