ABBA (political party)
Political party in Malta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
ABBA (Maltese: Partit ABBA) is an inactive far-right and Christian right political party in Malta.
.png)
ABBA Partit ABBA | |
|---|---|
| |
| Leader | Vacant |
| Secretary-General | Simon Elmer |
| Treasurer | Romina Magro |
| Founded | 22 October 2021 |
| Preceded by | Alleanza Bidla |
| Youth wing | ABBA Youths |
| Trade union wing |
|
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right[2][7] |
| European affiliation | European Christian Political Party |
| Colours | White Red Purple |
| Slogan | "Dignity to Malta" (Maltese: "Dinjità lil Malta") |
| Parliament of Malta | 0 / 67 |
| European Parliament | 0 / 6 |
| Local Council Seats | 0 / 462 |
| Website | |
| abba.mt | |
History
The party was founded in 2021 by Ivan Grech Mintoff, the former leader of Alleanza Bidla.[8] The party's registrations was initially refused by the Electoral Commission due to the party's name not being able to be shortened to an acronym. In response to this ABBA filed a judicial protest claiming the commission was discriminating against them. The Electoral Commission later agreed to register the party.[8][9] ABBA took part in the 2022 Maltese General Elections with candidates in all 13 districts,[10] they received 0.42% of votes.[11] Most ABBA candidates which ran in the election are also members of the Christian Charismatic Pentecostal group River of Love.[12]
Grech Mintoff resigned as party leader and from ABBA itself[13] just before the 2024 European Parliament elections, following a dispute with Secretary-General Simon Elmer.[14] Grech Mintoff was still on the ballot as an ABBA candidate due to the papers being printed, but asked to be considered an independent candidate.
The party's social media accounts went inactive after June 2024. Elmer and party treasurer Romina Magro later joined Edwin Vassallo's Christian conservative National Democratic Union, after the movement's founding in 2025.[15]
The party was a member of the European Christian Political Movement (now the European Christian Political Party) though as of 2025 was longer listed on its website.[16][17]
Ideology
ABBA is against COVID restrictions, forming two trade unions in an attempt to fight against them.[1] The party wishes for a national referendum to take place on the Recreational Use of Cannabis, stating the laws introduced that partially legalised recreational cannabis in Malta go against their Christian beliefs.[18]
The party describes itself as pro-life, with founder Ivan Mintoff claiming the Labour and Nationalist parties are "proposing a culture of death" and wish to legalise abortion. The party has filed a police complaint demanding the criminal investigation of 18 Maltese pro-choice activists and organisations.[19] Certain members of the party have espoused various controversial beliefs such as vaccine scepticism, being in favour of freedom to refuse vaccines.[20]