[1] The opposition Nationalist Party, reinvigorated with a new leader Eddie Fenech Adami, looked set for a serious challenge to the Labour Party, which had been in power since 1971 under Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.

However, the elections resulted in controversy because although the Nationalist Party received a majority of votes, the disproportionality of the single transferable vote allowed the Maltese Labour Party to win a majority of seats.

Mintoff said he would not be ready to govern in such conditions and hinted that he would call for fresh elections within six months.

However, he eventually accepted the President's invitation to form a government and continued in office.

[1][2] The elections were held using the single transferable vote system, with five-seat constituencies.