Muscat asks Speaker to convene parliament, AD - reshuffle not valid reason to bring down govt

Updated at 7:30pm with Alternattiva Demokratika's statement.

Opposition leader Joseph Muscat has written to the Speaker of the House Michael Frendo urging him to convene parliament urgently next week.

In his letter Muscat told Frendo that in the light of the events concerning Nationalist MP Franco Debono's calls for the Prime Minister's resignation, "I believe it to be in the country's best interest to urgently reconvene Parliament next week in order to determine whether the government still enjoys a Parliamentary majority and eliminate uncertainty."

Muscat added that it is clear a majority of MPs favour that parliament reconvenes imminently. 

In reaction to the current political situation, Michael Briguglio, chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika said: "As was the case in 1998, the current situation shows that it is not necessarily true that a one-party government is stable.

"Unlike others we are not opportunistically rubbing our hands with joy and anticipation. Were AD in a government coalition, we would be working for stability by being responsible and not by threatening government to have everything our way. Threatening to bring down a government because of a reshuffle is not a valid reason," Briguglio said.

Yesterday Muscat called on the Prime Minister to convene parliament within the next week and hold a vote of confidence but Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi ruled out he would put his confidence to the test and go for elections. "I will not repeat Alfred Sant's mistakes ... I will not call for a vote of confidence."

Muscat also said the Prime Minister's decision to reshuffle the cabinet was "a decision of convenience and not taken out of conviction".

"Parliament must decide whether the government holds the support of the majority or not."

PN backbencher Franco Debono echoed Muscat's call for a vote of confidence and went as far as to call for Gonzi's resignation on Friday.

Debono said: "Malta became an oligarchy and is no longer a democracy. Lawrence Gonzi should have resigned when the divorce referendum passed. No prime minister in a democratic world has the right to vote against the will of the people. With great arrogance he said parliament should respect the people's choice ... as if he is bigger than parliament.

"Democracy no longer reigns in Malta and he [Gonzi] has declared a state of oligarchy. The Prime Minister should resign," Debono said.

Debono added he no longer trusted Gonzi as a Prime Minister and without hesitation said he would not support him if a vote of confidence is taken in parliament. "There is something extremely wrong with this government: people who run the show behind the scenes, who orchestrate a network of evil. Yes, Lawrence Gonzi should call it a day."