'I always did my duty in the best way' - Chris Cardona steps down as MP

Chris Cardona has formally resigned as a government MP, saying he had no regrets following almost 24 years in Parliament.

The former economy minister will be retaining his role as Labour Party deputy leader.

The 48-year-old courted controversy in January 2017 when journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia accused him and a ministerial aide of attending a brothel in Germany while on official business.

But, in a brief resignation speech, Cardona said he had nothing to regret.

"Without any regrets, I can say I did my duty in the best way possible," Cardona told the House on Thursday.

"The long time I've spent in Parliament has instilled in me a lot of love for the country and given me moments which I will never forget," he said.

Cardona’s resignation from MP will open up a casual election on the Eighth District, which will see only two potential contenders – former Nationalist Party mayor Ian Castaldi Paris, who shifted to the PL during the Muscat years, and lawyer Rachel Tua.

All other PL candidates on the district have been elected to parliament and Castaldi Paris appears to be in pole position to take Cardona’s seat.