In the previous elections in 2008, Lawrence Gonzi's Nationalist Party was re-elected for a third term in government, this time with a narrow one-seat majority in parliament.

On 10 December 2012 Lawrence Gonzi's government was defeated in a vote on the 2013 Financial Estimates[1][2] when ruling party MP Franco Debono voted against the government's budget proposal in protest over transportation reform in giving a German operator the contract to manage the national bus service.

[2] Faced with loss of supply, Gonzi announced that the House of Representatives would be dissolved on 7 January and a general election called for 9 March.

There were also some minor changes to the boundaries of electoral districts from the previous general election and improved voting arrangements for hospital patients.

[10] The Nationalist Party was subsequently awarded four at-large seats, bringing it to 30 in all, to adjust for its share of the first-preference vote.