The Nationalist Party parliamentary group are still undecided when it comes to supporting Anglu Farrugia’s nomination for Speaker.
With parliament opening on the 7th of May, this would mark Farrugia’s third term as Speaker. The nomination will have to bee approved by a simple majority vote in parliament.
MaltaToday was informed by a PN spokesperson that a meeting of the parliamentary group about the subject is still yet to be held. He also added that Opposition leader Bernard Grech was not consulted by Prime Minister Robert Abela on the nomination.
Abela said back on the 14th of April that government will be nominating Farrugia for speaker, insisting he saw no need for a change in the role. Were this to be the case, it would mark the first time a Speaker is retained for a third term.
The Opposition had voted against Farrugia’s nomination in 2013 because former PM Joseph Muscat did not consult it on the choice. In 2017, Farrugia was proposed for a second term and was approved unanimously.
The Speaker can be a sitting MP or someone from outside the House as the Constitution makes no reference to consultation in the nomination of a new Speaker. The motion to nominate the person for the role is filed by the prime minister, and is the first vote that will be taken in the first session of parliament.
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