Partit Demokratiku Co-Opts Five People To Its Executive Ahead Of Planned Merge With Green Party
Partit Demokratiku recently co-opted five people to its executive council, with plans for internal elections within the ‘Orange Party’ put on hold as it discussed a merge with fellow small party Alternattiva Demokratika.
PD didn’t make a public statement when it appointed its new executive members and it hasn’t yet updated its website to reflect these changes, but the party’s leader Timothy Alden has confirmed their names to Lovin Malta.
Karen Vella Freeman, Mark Zerafa, Raymond Azzopardi, Matthew Mizzi and Duncan Bonnici have all been co-opted and they join Alden himself, former leader Anthony Buttigieg, Marcus Lauri and Carm Asciak on the PD executive.
Zerafa, who unsuccessfully ran for the Birkirkara local council during last May’s election, has been appointed Secretary General.
A “meeting that would legally qualify as an annual general meeting” was also held behind closed doors this month, but Alden said the party intends to hold another AGM in the coming months.
Partit Demokratiku’s executive had resigned en masse following last May’s European Parliament and local council elections, with a caretaker executive composed of most of the original members set up to run the party ahead of internal elections originally planned for September. Meanwhile, an external steering committee was set up to analyse the election results and propose a way forward for the party.
Internal elections weren’t held in September but the PD went through some changes when its leader Godfrey Farrugia and his partner and former leader Marlene Farrugia resigned their memberships entirely, stating that the party needs to turn a new page. Both Farrugias have remained in Parliament as independent MPs.
A few days later, with Alden as interim leader, the PD executive convened and agreed to negotiate with Alternattiva Demokratika for a merge between the two small parties, complete with a new name.
“I had long argued for the consolidation of third party politics into the new movement the country needs.
Alternattiva Demokratika felt the same,” Alden said yesterday. “As acting leader I appointed our negotiating team and they worked in silence for months – until today – where we can say that the talks have reached an advanced stage thanks to the team’s excellent work.”
READ NEXT: Chris Fearne Promises Serious Investigation Into Karin Grech, Oil Scandal And Adrian Delia: ‘No One Will Be Above The Law’
