Labour party secretary-general Jason Micallef is manoeuvring to hold on to his post, even though he is currently being held responsible for an abysmal campaign that led to a surprise defeat for the MLP.
Labour lost the general elections with just a margin of 1,200 votes, prompting the resignation of leader Alfred Sant who had been leading the party since 1992 and took it to power in 1996, before losing a snap election in 1998.
The young secretary-general originally started his political activism in the Labour party within the Michael Falzon faction in a sweep of officials supporting the deputy leader who took over key administration posts.
Later however, Micallef became one of Alfred Sant’s most loyal captains. Micallef is suggesting to Labour officials that Chris Cardona, who was elected from the eighth district (Birkirkara), be appointed deputy leader, while Brussels-based MEP Joseph Muscat become leader.
But Joseph Muscat himself has been careful to remain uncommitted to any faction.
Micallef appears to be pushing Chris Cardona – a very close friend – in the hope that he will not lose his job.
Micallef is also secretly suggesting the abolition of the post of second deputy leader, a move which would effectively elevate the secretary-general to third in the chain of command.
But Micallef is also being blamed for organising Labour’s electoral campaign single-handedly without consultation, reining in faithful activists by his side and running the show on his own.
On Sunday, his brash conviction that Labour was set for a convincing victory had already led him to ask the editor of Labour organ Kullhadd, Felix Agius, to run the title ‘Rebha Laburista’ (Labour Victory), when there had been no hard evidence of a Labour win.
Agius’s decision not to run the story probably avoided any more unnecessary confusion and possible confrontation than had already been created when Micallef also gave One News soundbites of an impending Labour win.