Why does the Labour Party launch its Manifesto Mid-Campaign?

In Malta’s political campaigns, one quirk has stood out over the past decade: the Labour Party (PL) consistently unveils its electoral manifesto only halfway through the campaign. This happened in 2013, 2017, and again in 2022. To critics, particularly from the Nationalist Party (PN), this smacks of unpreparedness. To seasoned campaign-watchers, however, it looks more like a deliberate strategy that prioritises momentum, message control, and the psychology of undecided voters.

The Logic of Timing

Election campaigns are not sprints but marathons. A manifesto launched too early risks fading into the background noise of weeks of rallies, press stories, and daily controversies. By holding back until the halfway point, the PL appears to aim for maximum impact. Releasing detailed proposals when public attention is peaking and when undecided voters are beginning to make up their minds.

This is not without precedent. In the United Kingdom, for example, both Labour and the Conservatives tend to release their manifestos two to three weeks before polling day, rarely at the outset. In Australia, where campaigns are shorter, major parties drip-feed policies before publishing the full platform closer to election day. The pattern reflects a similar observation that policy detail is more important when voters are paying closer attention.

The Advantages

The PL’s approach provides two clear benefits.

First, it sustains momentum. Rather than exhausting its ammunition early, the party staggers its narrative: beginning with broad themes, then sharpening its pitch with specifics midway through. This prevents voter fatigue and ensures that fresh policy proposals dominate headlines late into the campaign.

Second, it speaks to undecided voters. Political science research shows that many swing voters commit late, sometimes in the final week. A manifesto launched too early risks being forgotten. By timing its publication, the PL can shape these voters’ final impressions more effectively.

The Risks

The strategy is not without drawbacks. A delayed manifesto can create the perception of hesitation or disorganisation. This thought is being pushed by the PN repeatedly. In some ways, late publication can also leave little time for scrutiny. Critics may accuse the PL of rushing detailed proposals past the electorate before they can be properly debated.

The PN has generally released manifestos earlier. The problem is one of narrative control. Early manifestos set out the stall but give the opponent ample time to pick holes. In an age of social media, a month is more than enough to distort, dilute, or overshadow policy detail. The PN’s critique of Labour’s timing may resonate with die-hard supporters, but among undecided voters the charge of “unpreparedness” carries less weight if the PL can dominate headlines late in the race.

A Broader Trend in Campaigning

The PL’s mid-campaign manifesto reveals something broader about modern politics: the declining centrality of manifestos themselves. In many democracies, campaigns are no longer won or lost on thick policy documents. They are fought on themes, imagery, and bite-sized pledges that travel well in digital media. Manifestos remain important as reference points, in a way to demonstrating seriousness. Sadly, fewer voters read them in full.

This is why parties increasingly use a staggered strategy: drip-feeding sectoral proposals (as the PL did through morning press conferences in 2022) while saving the “big book” moment for symbolic weight rather than informational depth.

Therefore ultimately, the manifesto's late appearance is unlikely to be Labour being unprepared to this election campaign. Far from being accidental, this strategy mirrors international trends that balance momentum with voter psychology and past campaigns of the PL.