Sir Paul Boffa (1890-1962)
Paul Boffa entered the Labour Party in 1923 and was elected leader in 1927.
Boffa was born in Vittoriosa and trained as a medical doctor. During World War I he served with the Royal Medical Corps in Malta. In World War II, he served as district Commissioner and ARP Medical Officer in the South of Malta and in 1941 he was honoured as member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1921, Paul Boffa married Genoveffa Cecy and had two sons and two daughters: Salvino (aka Vivi), Hilda, Joseph (aka Profs), Carmelina (aka Melina).
In November 1947 he became the first ever Maltese Prime Minister leading a majority government of 24 Labour members. In 1949, the Labour Party split up and Dr. Boffa reisgned his leadership post but continued as Prime Minister.
Later on, Boffa founded and led the Malta Workers' Party (MWP). In 1955, he retired from politics for health reasons.
A year later he was made Knight Bachelor by the British monarchy in recognition of distinguished public services.
A public hospital in Floriana has been named for Sir Paul Boffa.
Dom Mintoff (1916 - )
Dom Mintoff succeeded Paul Boffa in leading the Malta Labour Party when the party split up in 1949.
Mintoff was born in Bormla (Cospicua). Initially he graduated as a Bachelor of Science and later as an architect and civil engineer from the University of Malta. Later on he pursued studies in England and graduated as Masters in Science and Engineering from Oxford University in 1943.
Throughout his political career, Mintoff was often to be referred to as "il-Perit" (the architect).
While studying in England he met Moira de Vere Bentinck, whom he married and together they had two daughters, Yana and Joan.
Mintoff’s political career took off when in 1935 he was appointed the Labour Party’s General Secretary.
In 1955, Mintoff’s Labour Party won the general elections and he became Prime Minister.
Mintoff, however, lost the subsequent 1962 and 1966 elections. In 1971 he again became prime minister up to 1984.
Between 1971-1972 he led negotiations with the British government over the closure of Malta as a military base. The closure took place in 1979.
In 1984, the fiery Dom Mintoff resigned as Party Leader and Prime Minister but retained his parliamentary seat.
He continued to be re-elected in following elections but in 1998 differences between him and party leader Dr Alfred Sant came to a head over the ‘Cottonera yacht marina project’.
Mintoff voted against the project and consequently Sant resigned and fresh general elections were called which the Labour Party lost.
He has remained out of the party eversince.
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici (1933 -)
Mifsud Bonnici succeeded Dom Mintoff as leader of the Malta Labour Party in 1984 and was also sworn in as Prime Minister in that same year.
"Karmenu", as he was often referred to, was trained as a lawyer in Industrial law and up to this day practices this profession.
In 1980 he was appointed Deputy Leader of the Malta Labour Party and in 1982 he was appointed Designate Leader, co-opted into Parliament and assigned the Ministry of Employment and Social Services.
In 1987, Mifsud Bonnici lost the general elections and served as Leader of the Opposition up until 1992 when, following a second defeat, he resigned.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici was succeeded by Dr Alfred Sant.
Alfred Sant (1948 - )
Dr Alfred Sant was elected leader in March 1992 after Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici stepped down following the defeat in the 1992 general election.
Dr Sant, an accomplished literature author and economist, won a three-horse contest. He immediately embarked on strengthening the party's media and erecting new modern headquarters in Hamrun. In October 1996 he led the MLP to electoral victory. elections.
However he was only 22 months in office, after he lost a Parliamentary vote of confidence when former MLP leader and Prime Minister Dom Mintoff voted against the proposed Cottoner project.
The MLP lost the snap September 1998 election but Dr Sant was retained as leader.
After another electoral defeat in 2004, Dr Sant said he would not continue in the top post, by on May 1 he surprised everyone by announcing he had changed his mind. In the election for the new leader in May 2003 he was confirmed with 67% of the votes.
Successive good performances in Local Election for the MLP led many to believe the MLP under Dr Sant was set to win the March 8 2008 general election, but this did not happen.
When the official result of the election was announced Dr Sant said he had taken the irrevocable decision to step down.
The election for the new MLP leader was called for June 5 2008, after a special commission would publish a report on the reasons for the MLP's third successive general election defeat.
Paul Boffa entered the Labour Party in 1923 and was elected leader in 1927.
Boffa was born in Vittoriosa and trained as a medical doctor. During World War I he served with the Royal Medical Corps in Malta. In World War II, he served as district Commissioner and ARP Medical Officer in the South of Malta and in 1941 he was honoured as member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1921, Paul Boffa married Genoveffa Cecy and had two sons and two daughters: Salvino (aka Vivi), Hilda, Joseph (aka Profs), Carmelina (aka Melina).
In November 1947 he became the first ever Maltese Prime Minister leading a majority government of 24 Labour members. In 1949, the Labour Party split up and Dr. Boffa reisgned his leadership post but continued as Prime Minister.
Later on, Boffa founded and led the Malta Workers' Party (MWP). In 1955, he retired from politics for health reasons.
A year later he was made Knight Bachelor by the British monarchy in recognition of distinguished public services.
A public hospital in Floriana has been named for Sir Paul Boffa.
Dom Mintoff (1916 - )
Dom Mintoff succeeded Paul Boffa in leading the Malta Labour Party when the party split up in 1949.
Mintoff was born in Bormla (Cospicua). Initially he graduated as a Bachelor of Science and later as an architect and civil engineer from the University of Malta. Later on he pursued studies in England and graduated as Masters in Science and Engineering from Oxford University in 1943.
Throughout his political career, Mintoff was often to be referred to as "il-Perit" (the architect).
While studying in England he met Moira de Vere Bentinck, whom he married and together they had two daughters, Yana and Joan.
Mintoff’s political career took off when in 1935 he was appointed the Labour Party’s General Secretary.
In 1955, Mintoff’s Labour Party won the general elections and he became Prime Minister.
Mintoff, however, lost the subsequent 1962 and 1966 elections. In 1971 he again became prime minister up to 1984.
Between 1971-1972 he led negotiations with the British government over the closure of Malta as a military base. The closure took place in 1979.
In 1984, the fiery Dom Mintoff resigned as Party Leader and Prime Minister but retained his parliamentary seat.
He continued to be re-elected in following elections but in 1998 differences between him and party leader Dr Alfred Sant came to a head over the ‘Cottonera yacht marina project’.
Mintoff voted against the project and consequently Sant resigned and fresh general elections were called which the Labour Party lost.
He has remained out of the party eversince.
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici (1933 -)
Mifsud Bonnici succeeded Dom Mintoff as leader of the Malta Labour Party in 1984 and was also sworn in as Prime Minister in that same year.
"Karmenu", as he was often referred to, was trained as a lawyer in Industrial law and up to this day practices this profession.
In 1980 he was appointed Deputy Leader of the Malta Labour Party and in 1982 he was appointed Designate Leader, co-opted into Parliament and assigned the Ministry of Employment and Social Services.
In 1987, Mifsud Bonnici lost the general elections and served as Leader of the Opposition up until 1992 when, following a second defeat, he resigned.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici was succeeded by Dr Alfred Sant.
Alfred Sant (1948 - )
Dr Alfred Sant was elected leader in March 1992 after Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici stepped down following the defeat in the 1992 general election.
Dr Sant, an accomplished literature author and economist, won a three-horse contest. He immediately embarked on strengthening the party's media and erecting new modern headquarters in Hamrun. In October 1996 he led the MLP to electoral victory. elections.
However he was only 22 months in office, after he lost a Parliamentary vote of confidence when former MLP leader and Prime Minister Dom Mintoff voted against the proposed Cottoner project.
The MLP lost the snap September 1998 election but Dr Sant was retained as leader.
After another electoral defeat in 2004, Dr Sant said he would not continue in the top post, by on May 1 he surprised everyone by announcing he had changed his mind. In the election for the new leader in May 2003 he was confirmed with 67% of the votes.
Successive good performances in Local Election for the MLP led many to believe the MLP under Dr Sant was set to win the March 8 2008 general election, but this did not happen.
When the official result of the election was announced Dr Sant said he had taken the irrevocable decision to step down.
The election for the new MLP leader was called for June 5 2008, after a special commission would publish a report on the reasons for the MLP's third successive general election defeat.