A former mayor and two former MPs have submitted their nominations to fill the vacant Labour seat in Parliament left by former Finance Minister Edward Scicluna.

Charles Azzopardi, former mayor to Rabat, was the first to submit his nomination on Friday.

Azzopardi, who was previously barred from contesting under Labour in the 2019 local elections, has faced internal pressures not to contest, possibly due to his membership in the Nationalist Party. He has allegedly refused senior positions in the diplomatic corps, offered to him in order to drop out of the race.

Next was Chairman to the Malta Tourism Authority Gavin Gulia and former PN MP and Chairman at the Malta Council for Science and Technology, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

Orlando is said to have experienced the same pressures as Charles Azzopardi, but has denied the claim. 

Meanwhile, Gulia is considered to be Labour’s preferred candidate, but Azzopardi seems to be the forerunner, with the highest amount of votes between the three.

The results of the casual election will be announced on Tuesday.

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