Toni Abela, Wenzu Mintoff among candidates for Chief Justice post

Judge Wenzu Mintoff and Judge Toni Abela were being considered for the post of Chief Justice, but the government is weary of backlash that such an appointment might cause, sources within the government told MaltaToday.

The candidates were being considered ahead of the retirement of Silvio Camilleri in April.

The same sources said the government might purposely appoint someone close to retirement age who would not last long in the post.

Abela was Labour Party deputy leader from 2008 until 2016, and his appointment as judge last year was met with significant controversy. He was appointed after being selected by the newly-created judicial appointments commission, which is headed by the Chief Justice.

Wenzu Mintoff was a Labour MP between 1987 and 1989, when he was kicked out of the party and went on to join Alternattiva Demokratika. Later he rejoined the Labour Party and contested - unsuccessfully - the 2004 European Parliament elections on the Labour ticket. He served as editor of Labour organ KullHadd for a short period.

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Today the Sunday Times identified Judge Joseph Azzopardi as the most likely candidate to become the next Chief Justice.

Azzopardi, who is 63 and therefore two years away from retirement, is a former Labour candidate and ex-president of the Chamber of Advocates. He was appointed Judge of the Superior courts in 2003 and is currently the President of the Family Section at the Civil Courts.

The newspaper said the government was also considering the appointment of Antonio Mizzi or Joseph Zammit McKeon for the post, but that controversy also surrounds Mizzi due to the fact that his wife, Marlene Mizzi, is a Labour MEP.