Christian Peregin has stepped down as CEO of Lovin Malta with immediate effect and has triggered a process to exit the company completely.

Peregin, who founded Lovin Malta five years ago, will be joining the Nationalist Party to take a position in a role of strategic support.

The company will now be led by Acting CEO & Head of Content, David Grech and Chief Operations Officer, Bettina Falzon.

“Chris’s departure from the company he founded will be sad for all of us but Lovin Malta has always risen to the occasion when it mattered most and this time will be no different. Lovin Malta’s strengths have long been independent of its founding team and shareholders and we remain committed to being fair, forceful and free-thinking in all that we do.  We will let our work speak for itself, as it has always done,” they said.

In an article published today, Peregin explains his decision to leave the company and contribute to the political landscape.

“The gap in support between the government and the Opposition has remained too wide for too long and the trend seems to be taking us closer towards a two-thirds majority for Labour, which would effectively mean a one-party State,” he says.

“This is bad news for the Nationalist Party, but it’s even worse news for citizens, journalists, activists, pressure groups and anybody who values the principles of democracy.”

“No government likes to be criticised, but criticism is only really effective when a government has something to lose. Unfortunately, without the threat of an Opposition gaining in popularity, the government does not have a big enough incentive to listen to its critics.”

Describing the Nationalist Party as a “shadow of its former self”, Peregin says he has decided to play his part, not because he is loyal to any party but because he is a Maltese citizen who has a natural interest in democracy.

“When I felt our democracy needed me to vote Labour, I did. Today, it requires something else,” he said.

“The party is ready to be rebuilt. It must be rebuilt. And it has a leader who is eager to welcome people back to help him rebuild it.”

“As much as I support the efforts of the smaller parties, we need to be honest in our assessment and realise that it is only the PN that has a fighting chance to grow into an alternative government since it already enjoys 30% of the country’s support.”

Peregin’s last official day at Lovin Malta will be July 31st, to allow for a process of handover. He has relinquished all editorial duties with immediate effect and has begun a process to divest of his shareholding in the coming weeks.