Arnold Cassola to resign as chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika

Arnold Cassola will resign as chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika and has no intention of contesting the leadership, MaltaToday can confirm.

Cassola, elected leader in 2013 following a short stint in 2008, told MaltaToday that he was submitting his resignation, having already informed his colleagues of his wish.

The Green Party leader, a former European Green Party secretary-general and Italian MP, said it was natural that the leadership of a party resigns and fresh elections are held.

But in this case, Cassola won’t be putting his name in the hat.

AD got 0.8% votes in the 3 June general election, resulting in 2,564 votes.

“The electoral result was widely expected, especially after the panic created by the Nationalist Party and the way they demonized AD,” he said, adding that one still had to shoulder responsibility for the result.

But this is not the end of the road for the Green Party stalwart, who plans on remaining active in politics and will stay on as a member of AD.

Asked what lies ahead for AD, Cassola said the Green Party needs to work harder on reaching to the people, planting roots in Malta’s cities and villages.

But whilst Cassola ruled out interest in the role, the same cannot be said for AD’s deputy chairperson Carmel Cacopardo – the first to publicly reveal Cassola’s decision.

Contacted By MaltaToday, Cacopardo was coy in his replies, not excluding submitting his nomination, “if no competent person” steps forward.

“If a competent person submits their name, then I’ll support them, but if no competent person comes forward, then I will submit my name,” he said.

He dismissed suggestions that AD is in need of new blood, arguing that “new blood doesn’t fall from the sky” and that several young people are involved in the Green Party at grassroots level.