PN executive appoints Ċensu Galea general council president

Ċensu Galea has been appointed president of the Nationalist Party’s general council, replacing Kristy Debono who resigned earlier this month amid a leadership crisis within the party.

Galea, a party stalwart who served as minister under various Nationalist administrations, was approved for the role by the PN’s executive committee today.

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The 63-year-old’s appointment comes after a request by Louis Galea, who is heading the party’s reform process.

He was appointed to the role by virtue of the fact that he had been runner-up in the election which had seen Debono elected general council president. In November 2017, general council members had elected Debono, who had received 638 votes compared to Galea’s 622, to the post.

Galea was first elected to Parliament in 1987, and served as agriculture minister from 1994 to 1996, transport minister from 1998 to 2004, and communications minister from 2004 to 2008.

Most recently, he served as deputy speaker of the House, from 2010 to 2017.

PN statute changes to be put in place in March

In a statement, the PN said that its executive committee had unanimously agreed to start discussing statute changes, emanating from Louis Galea's reform proposals, between 21 February to 5 March. This will involve discussions with the party's councillors with an aim towards changing the PN statute.

Subsequently, the amended statute will be adopted in March, which will trigger a process for internal elections of party officials, the PN said.

During the ongoing executive committee meeting, Louis Galea presented the details of the proposed reform, the PN added.