Marthese Portelli resigns, Delia unfazed, Ivan Bartolo in with chance for by-election

Updated at 5:45pm with Adrian Delia's reaction

Marthese Portelli has resigned from Parliament, and will no longer be a Nationalist Party MP.

Portelli announced she had stepped down on Thursday afternoon, but did not give any reasons why she took the decision.

“Politics should only be used to propagate the common good. I would like to wish anyone who decides to join politics that they do so only to do good,” she said on Facebook.

Portelli was elected on the Nationalist Party ticket on the ninth and 13th districts in 2017, retaining only the ninth after the election. Her resignation is therefore expected to open a by-election on the ninth district to elect an MP to replace her.

The 43-year-old had first been elected to Parliament in 2013. In 2009, she unsuccessfully contested the European Parliament elections.

“The last seven years of parliamentary work were the seven years which I will treasure all my life,” she said in her resignation message.

Portelli thanked Opposition leader Adrian Delia and former Opposition leader Simon Busuttil for the faith they had shown in her, and extended her thanks to the Maltese people for believing in her and giving her their support.

Not completely surprised at decision - PN MP Jason Azzopardi

In a reaction to Portelli’s resignation, Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi said he was “not completely surprised” at the decision to step down.

“What more needs to happen for people’s eyes to be opened and stubbornness to be curbed,” he asked.

Azzopardi said he had “no words to adequately express my sadness - and I know I am not alone - with Marthese’s decision and the state of affairs which led to it.”

Adrian Delia personally thanks Marthese Portelli

In a statement issued by the Nationalist Party, Opposition leader Adrian Delia thanked Portelli for the “huge service” she gave to the PN since her first day of being active within it.

“Marthese gave a lot to the PN with each role she was trusted. She knew that politics was a service. She served without ever having been compromised. She always placed the interests of the country and the party first,” Delia wrote.

He added that Portelli was able to hold a dialogue with stakeholders from all sectors and that she contributed to a politics of dialogue, not hate.

“With Marthese, I always knew where I was. She never shied away from providing constructive criticism without any hidden agenda. I always appreciated that. I encourage her and hope that she will continue to contribute to the PN.”