Malta Workers Party

The Malta Workers Party (Maltese: Partit tal-Ħaddiema, MWP) was a political party in Malta.

Workers Party Partit tal-Ħaddiema
Leader	Paul Boffa
Founded	1949 (1949)
Dissolved	1955 (1955)
Split from	Labour Party
Ideology	Social democracy
Political position	Center-left
Colours	Brown
Politics of Malta Political parties Elections

History

The party was established in 1949 by Paul Boffa after he resigned as leader of the Labour Party following a motion of no confidence.[1] Both parties won 11 seats in the 1950 elections, allowing the Nationalist Party (which won 12 seats) to form the government.[2] In the elections the following year the Labour Party won 14 seats and the Workers Party won seven, with The Workers' Party joining a coalition government with the Nationalist Party.[1]

The party's support declined rapidly, and it won only three seats in the 1953 elections. It was disbanded in 1955.[1]

Ideology

The party ran on a platform of co-operation with the British authorities in order to promote Maltese interests. It called for economic austerity and diverting funds to industrial development. Boffa publicly accused Labour Party leader Dom Mintoff of being a Communist and anti-clericalist.[1]

Electoral performance

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Government
1950	24,616	23.2	11 / 40	11	3rd	Opposition
1951	21,158	18.8	7 / 40	4	3rd	Coalition
1953	14,000	11.8	3 / 40	4	3rd	Coalition

References

1. Vincent E McHale (1983) Political parties of Europe, Greenwood Press, p633 ISBN 0-313-23804-9
2. McHale, p636