Prime Minister mulls Toni Abela co-option

The former Labour deputy leader for party affairs Toni Abela is being touted for co-option to the House of Representatives, as the party attempts to woo him back to his original posting.

Abela had stepped down from his post after being nominated by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat as a member to the European Court of Auditors.

But a lacklustre performance in his hearing before MEPs of the budgetary control committee resulted in Abela being turned down for the ECA post.

Party delegates and even Muscat’s advisers have urged Abela to consider returning to his original post, which now lies vacant after the resignation of Konrad Mizzi since Muscat reshuffled his Cabinet in response to the Panama Papers revelations.  

A source close to Muscat has told MaltaToday that Abela is even being touted for co-option to the House now that Leo Brincat has been nominated to the European Court of Auditors.

Co-option would be possible only if nobody runs in the casual election for the parliamentary seat Brincat will be vacating.
“Abela’s return to the party leadership can only be interpreted as positive,” the source told MaltaToday.

Konrad Mizzi’s resignation has however opened up a new race for the deputy leadership post, after Labour pushed through an amendment to remove a prohibition on MPs from holding the party post.

Now that Muscat’s plan to have Mizzi run uncontested has floundered following ‘Panamagate’, the first moves have started being made by his ambitious ministers.

Chris Cardona, the bullish minister for the economy, is one such prospective candidate. In 2008, he unsuccessfully contested the post of deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, and this year he will be marking his 20th year in parliament.

“I’ve been active in the Labour Party for 25 years and, with my ministerial experience and at my age, I know how both the legislative and executive work. I have a lot to offer,” Cardona said.

No other Cabinet member or Labour MP has come forward so far – nominations have not officially been opened yet. Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis is also being mentioned as a likely contender, although his name was also touted in February’s race.

Zammit Lewis did not rule out running for the post and said he would make his decision in the coming days.

“It is still too early to speculate. I am currently focussed on the recent deal for Air Malta. The process to elect a deputy leader has not yet begun and I will make the decision in the coming days,” he told reporters on Saturday.

Zammit Lewis and Cardona contest the general election on the same district. Both ministers have registered positive results in their respective sectors.

Cardona told MaltaToday that a contest would be welcomed: “If there is a contest, let’s go in for a straight fight and may the best man win.”
Cardona added that he had already spoken to Konrad Mizzi. “Konrad [Mizzi] has already pledged his full support,” the minister said.

Speaking to MaltaToday on his plans for the party, Cardona argued that Labour’s weakest point was visibility.

“People need to see that we are the same party. These were not happy times but it’s now time to get back on track. We won’t be launching ourselves in campaign mode but we need to start telling people what we’ve been working on. The results achieved by this government came from the Labour Party in power. We need to transmit this message more.”

Education minister Evarist Bartolo, who said that Konrad Mizzi should have resigned as minister following the Panama Papers revelations, will not be running for the deputy leadership. But he said he wanted delegates to choose their deputy leader, alluding that he did not wish to see another one-horse race, and again leaving nothing to the public’s imagination, said that the successful candidate should subscribe to Labour’s values.

Toni Abela’s co-option to the House would depend on candidates on the ninth district not to throw in their nomination for the casual election for Leo Brincat’s seat, which he will vacate after being nominated for the European Court of Auditors.

In contrast to Konrad Mizzi, Abela has deep roots in the Labour party, having started his career with Labour’s youth organ. He later became Labour party president in 1986, only to resign from the party within three years after the party refused to rid itself of corrupt elements.

Following an eight-year stint with Alternattiva Demokratika, where he campaigned for greater accountability, the introduction of divorce and local government, he returned to the Labour party in 1998 and successfully contested for the deputy leadership in 2008, the year Joseph Muscat became leader.