Ray Abela Elected in Casual Election to Replace Carmelo Abela in Parliament

Ray Abela has been elected to the House of Representatives following a casual election held on Friday, 26 June 2026, filling the seat vacated by Carmelo Abela after his appointment as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The election took place in the Third Electoral District and was held to determine who would occupy the parliamentary seat left open following Carmelo Abela’s transition to the speakership role.

Ray Abela emerged successful in the contest, which featured several eligible candidates from the same district. The process forms part of Malta’s constitutional mechanism for filling parliamentary vacancies without the need for a full by-election, instead drawing from candidates who had contested the general election but were not initially elected.

Other candidates in the running included former Bank of Valletta director James Grech, Martina Buhagiar, and Eric Plumpton.

With his election, Ray Abela returns to Parliament, securing a seat in the legislature and representing the Third Electoral District once again. His appointment restores full representation for the district following the vacancy created in recent weeks.

The casual election marks the completion of the formal process triggered by Carmelo Abela’s resignation from his parliamentary seat to assume his new role as Speaker.

#MaltaDaily