MP Who Voted Against Adrian Delia Abstained When Summoned By President
A PN MP who voted against Adrian Delia at a recent confidence vote abstained when asked by President George Vella whether he recognises Delia as Opposition leader.
Stephen Spiteri confirmed with ONE News that he was one of the 19 MPs and MEPs who had voted against Delia last week but that he abstained when asked by the President.
“I abstained because my [parliamentary] chair isn’t my own but belongs to the people who voted for me,” he said. “When I spoke to the President, I discussed my ideas and the situation that can help the Opposition and the party the most. In fact, I am registered as abstaining.”
Two statements were issued yesterday on behalf of the 19 MPs and MEPs who had voted against Delia last week. However, the statements were unsigned and it is unclear whether they were speaking on behalf of Spiteri too.
Malta’s Constitution states that the President should remove an Opposition Leader if the majority of his MPs recognise another sitting MP as their leader.
However, there are differing legal interpretations over whether the President is actually empowered to appoint that second person as Opposition leader, and the PN’s statute states that the PN leader should be Opposition leader when the party is in opposition and Prime Minister when it is in government.
Delia, who was elected PN leader in 2017, has said he intends to fulfil his mandate and lead the party into the next general election. This is an unprecedented situation in Malta’s recent political history and President Vella is expected to set constitutional case law when he makes his decision.
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