Labour approves second round of candidates

The Labour Party has approved a second group of candidates who will contest the next general election, following a decision by the party’s national executive.

The selection process is being led by Notary Charles Mangion, who heads the Candidates Commission. The commission is vetting applications through what the party described as a rigorous process before submitting names for approval by the national executive.

The second group comprises 26 candidates, 13 of whom are new.

The newly approved candidates are: Fleur Abela (1st district), Ramona Attard (6th and 8th districts), Yana Borg Debono Grech (1st and 8th districts), Jesmond Bonello (2nd and 8th districts), Georvin Bugeja (2nd district), Joseph Bugeja (1st and 8th districts), Samantha Pace Gasan (7th district), John Grech (1st and 8th districts), Remenda Grech (5th district), Olaf McKay (1st district), Francesca Zarb (1st and 11th districts), Roderick Zerafa (2nd and 5th districts), and Carlos Zarb (12th district).

The remaining candidates approved in this second group are: Ray Abela (1st and 3rd districts), Malcolm Paul Agius Galea (6th and 7th districts), Alicia Bugeja Said (3rd and 12th districts), Rebecca Buttigieg (9th and 10th districts), Naomi Cachia (7th and 12th districts), Byron Camilleri (2nd and 4th districts), Katya De Giovanni (4th and 10th districts), Julia Farrugia (5th and 7th districts), Cressida Galea (1st and 8th districts), Alex Muscat (8th and 11th districts), Omar Farrugia (5th and 6th districts), Davina Sammut Hili (1st district), and Deborah Schembri (10th and 12th districts).

The Candidates Commission will continue its work in the coming days as the selection process moves forward.

On Monday, former minister Roderick Galdes was not approved to contest on the Labour ticket. 

He is now challenging the executive vote that barred him from contesting the next general election.