Hermann Schiavone, former Delia ally, will not seek re-election

Hermann Schiavone will step away from politics at the end of the current legislature to make way for new blood in the Nationalist Party.

“In recent months I have continued to ask how best to serve people, and I have come to the conclusion that the best way to do this is to create space for new blood in the party and in parliament,” Schiavone wrote in a Facebook post.

Schiavone was elected from the fifth district, which is contested by the Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech.

“I have the peace of mind that the party leader will contest the fifth district, meaning people will have good options. Bernard Grech deserves the vote of all those who supported me.”

He will stay on as a member of parliament, but will not seek re-election.

In a statement, the Nationalist Party thanked Hemann Schiavone for his work in the party and as a member of parliament.

“Hermann Schiavone always showed altruism and dedication towards his constituents and to the Nationalist Party,” the PN said. “The Nationalist Party has no doubt that Schiavone will continue to serve the party and, most importantly, the country – as he always did.”

Schiavone was a loyalist of former PN leader Adrian Delia. He had suspended himself from the PN parliamentary group after he was revealed to have met Electrogas shareholder and Tumas Group magnate Yorgen Fenech.

The meeting took place after Fenech was identified as the owner of Dubai company 17 Black, which had been listed as a client of the Panama companies opened by Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri.

However, the meeting took place months before Fenech was eventually charged with masterminding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who had first reported on 17 Black in 2017.