Charles Mangion sworn in as MP

Former Labour deputy party leader Charles Mangion was today sworn in as an MP after filling in the seat vacated by President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

Earlier this week, Mangion, who was last year appointed as Enemalta chairman, was re-elected to parliament in a casual election, taking 2,201 votes from Coleiro Preca's vote count on the sixth district.

Mangion beat the 1,950 quota, seeing off nominations from former MP Gavin Gulia (currently MTA chairman) and Emanuel Micallef and Simon Saliba.

He was first elected to Parliament in 1987 and was re-elected in all following general elections, with the sole exception of last year's election. Mangion also served as Minister of Justice and Local Government in the Alfred Sant Labour government between 1996 and 1998. He resigned as minister after requesting a Presidential Pardon without the Cabinet of Minister's consent.   

In May 2003, the Labour Party delegates elected him as a Deputy Leader of the Party for parliamentary affairs and also served as acting leader of the opposition before Joseph Muscat's election at the helm of the Labour Party in 2008.