[WATCH] Malta’s 14th Parliament inaugurated today with President’s speech to MPs

Malta’s fourteenth legislature was sworn in today after MPs attended an inaugural mass at the St John Cathedral in Valletta, celebrated by Archbishop Charles Scicluna.

MPs with their spouses and partners, accompanied by the President of the Republic George Vella, made their way to the House of Representatives along Republic Street, to attend the official opening of the Maltese parliament.

This legislature marks the first in which 12 MPs have been co-opted to the House under a new gender-corrective measure to increase MPs from the under-represented gender. The governing Labour side has a majority of nine MPs.

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The MPs assembled in the Chamber of the House of Representatives to hear the proclamation summoning the 14th parliament by the Clerk of the House, who then read the results of the General Election and the names of the MPs duly elected.

Speaker Anglu Farrugia took the oath of allegiance, sworn in for the third consecutive time but with the Opposition voting against. Deputy Speaker David Agius from the Opposition side was elected unanimously. MPs co-opted to the House in line with Malta’s new quotas system were then introduced.

Randolph Debattista, a co-opted Labour MP who filled in a vacant seat in the ninth district, took his oath of allegiance without the customary reference to God and kissing the crucifix, which was set aside for his oath.

The sitting was suspended for the Speaker and the Clerk of the House to leave the Chamber and welcome the President of Malta, George Vella, who then re-entered the Chamber for the sitting to resume and declare the reasons for summoning the parliament, with his traditional address.