Speaker of the House of Representatives
Fifteenth Legislature (2026- )
The main role of the Speaker of the House are to ensure that order is maintained during sittings of the House and that the parliamentary rules (Standing Orders) are respected. From time to time the Speaker may also be requested to give rulings in the event that issues arise on the application of these Standing Orders and see that members follow the correct procedures. The Speaker does not have an original vote but has a casting vote in the event that there is a tie in a vote in the House. The Speaker presides over the Standing Committee on House Business, the Standing Committee on Privileges and on any other Committee as directed by Parliament. The Speaker is the principal office holder in the House of Representatives.
Hon. Carmelo Abela was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives at the opening of the Fifteenth Legislature on the 20th June 2026, after being re-elected in May 2026 as a Member of Parliament for the Third Electoral District.
Hon. Abela was first elected to Parliament in 1996. Since then, he has served in a number of parliamentary and ministerial roles, including Assistant Whip, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Government Whip, Government Spokesman, Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister.
Before entering Parliament, Hon. Abela worked in the banking sector. In 1990, he joined Mid-Med Bank Ltd, today HSBC Bank Malta plc, where he worked until April 2014. His last responsibilities were within HSBC Life Assurance Ltd.
Hon. Abela began his public life at local level. He contested the local council elections in 1994 and was elected councillor, serving until 1996.
He contested the 1996 General Election and was elected Member of Parliament. He was appointed Assistant Whip and Cashier of the Parliamentary Group. He was re-elected in 1998 and served as Spokesman for Youth and Sport, Assistant Whip, and Secretary of the Labour Party Parliamentary Group.
In 2003, he was re-elected to Parliament and was unanimously appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, a position he held for seven years. He was also appointed Main Spokesman for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture.
In 2008, he was again unanimously appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. During that legislature, he also served as Main Spokesman for Industry and Foreign Investment and later for Social Policy.
Following the 2013 General Election, Hon. Abela was appointed Whip of the Government Parliamentary Group and served as a member of the Standing Committee on House Business. In April 2014, following a Cabinet reshuffle, he was also appointed Government Spokesman.
On 9 December 2014, he was appointed Minister for Home Affairs and National Security. His portfolio included defence, the Corradino Correctional Facility, civil protection, the security services, the police, probation and parole, and migration. During this period, reforms and investment programmes were undertaken, including discussions and the signing of collective agreements. The Academy for Disciplined Forces was also set up and started providing courses and training opportunities for members of the respective forces.
During Malta’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hon. Abela chaired the Justice and Home Affairs Council and the Foreign Affairs Council, and also represented the EU High Representative in a number of meetings.
In June 2017, he was re-elected to Parliament and appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion. As Minister, he attended the Foreign Affairs Council and the Development Council. During this period, he chaired ministerial meetings of the Commonwealth, expanded Malta’s diplomatic presence, launched the first Malta Africa Strategy, and started and concluded the collective agreement for the diplomatic corps.
In January 2020, Hon. Abela was appointed Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibilities including conditions of work, social dialogue, broadcasting, and the implementation of the electoral manifesto. This period coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, measures were taken in support of both employers and employees. He also took initiatives concerning PBS and oversaw the implementation of the electoral manifesto.
In March 2022, Hon. Abela was re-elected as a Member of Parliament for the seventh consecutive time. During that legislature, he chaired the Family Affairs Committee and the Adjunct Committee for the Consideration of Bills. He also served as Head of Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.
On 9 November 2022, Hon. Abela joined AquaBioTech Limited in Mosta as Chief Operations Officer.
On 1 December 2023, following a selection process, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Central Business District Foundation, responsible for the management and initiatives relating to the Central Business District.
Hon. Abela has also served in a number of parliamentary delegations. In September 2013, he was elected for a three-year term as Regional Representative on the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He also served as Head of Delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as Head of Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, and as Head of Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He has also been involved in a number of Parliamentary Friendship Groups.
In 1997, Hon. Abela attended a Diploma in Labour Studies at the University of Malta, covering areas including human resources and conditions of work.
He was active in the Parish Pastoral Council and other parish groups. He was also Secretary and a founding member of the Youth Nursery of Żejtun Corinthians Football Club and, for a number of years, served as Secretary of the club.
Speaker Carmelo Abela was born on 10 February 1972 and is married to Melanie and they have two children.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
Fifteenth Legislature (2026 - )
Deputy Speaker - Hon Bernard Grech