Labour calls mid-July conference to elect new deputy leader

Louis Grech’s successor as the Labour Party’s deputy leader for parliamentary affairs will be elected on 13 and 14 July, during an extraordinary general conference in which the party will also vote on all the elected positions in the administration.

A secret vote of confidence in Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Joseph Muscat – and in the deputy leader for party affairs Chris Cardona – will also be held during the conference, as laid down in the party’s statute.

The party said in a statement that nominations the vacant deputy leadership and the other administrative positions – president, vice-president, administrative secretary and international secretary – will be accepted until 6pm on 22 June.

The newly-elected deputy leader will also become deputy prime minister.

Muscat will address party members at the start of the conference and will be laying out the government’s priorities for the first years of this second legislature.

If more than two candidates submit their nomination for deputy leader, and none obtain more at least 50%+1 of all valid votes, a second election will be held on Saturday 15 July between the two candidates who obtained the highest number of votes.