Chris Cardona has resigned as deputy leader of the Labour Party, Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced.

Speaking to Times of Malta outside Castille this morning, Abela said he was informed that Cardona had submitted his resignation and that the process to replace him has already started.

The party is set to elect a new deputy leader in the second week of July.

Abela had told Cardona to resign as PL deputy leader after the former Economy Minister was repeatedly named in court by middleman Melvin Theuma in relation to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.