Lawyer Ramona Attard to be co-opted into parliament

Former Labour Party president Ramona Attard will be co-opted to parliament to replace Randolph DeBattista, MaltaToday can confirm.

Attard stepped down from her role within the party last year after the European Parliament election saying she “is ready for a new challenge”, but saying she will continue to work within the party.

Attard had contested the presidency in 2020 after Robert Abela was elected party leader. Prior to this she formed part of Joseph Muscat’s communications team when he was prime minister.

Abela had thanked Attard for her work within the party structures, describing her as a "progressive and liberal voice" that has a lot still to offer within the Labour Party.

She was one of several high-ranking Labour Party officials who have decided to step down after the party's disappointing election result in the European election last June.

During her final address as party president at the Labour Party general conference she had said decriminalising criminal libel was a mistake.

She had also questioned whether it was time to revise the Standards in Public Life Act, saying, “Yes to standards, no to abuse and intimidation.”

Randolph de Battista esigned his parliamentary seat on Monday to take up an ambassadorial post in Geneva, creating a vacancy in the Labour Party parliamentary group.

De Battista was last year appointed ambassador to various international organisations, including the UN, that are based in Geneva, Switzerland, after approval by parliament's Appointments Committee.

On Instagram, De Battista said he looked back on his parliamentary stint with “immense gratitude and pride” for having stood up for what he believes in.

“From fighting for civil liberties and advancing women’s rights to ensuring dignity for the elderly and people with disabilities, my mission has always been to build a fairer, more inclusive Malta,” he wrote, adding he always stood for “good governance, demanded higher standards in public life, and pushed for climate action.”